Artwork
Songlines
Songlines is a print by Manfred Welling. It dates from 2011 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
The print is part of a collection from East London Printmakers, a group that supports artists with studio space and equipment.
The title of this print is Songlines, created by Manfred Welling in 2011.
It's an abstract work, which makes it interesting to think about what inspired the artist. The print is part of a collection from East London Printmakers, a group that supports artists with studio space and equipment.
To learn more about the techniques used in this print, you can look into the work of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
Overview
Songlines is a 2011 abstract print by Manfred Welling, produced within the framework of the East London Printmakers (ELP) collective. The work measures 30 × 30 cm and belongs to the annual ELP Box series, which assembles a limited edition of forty small prints each year as a record of the members’ output.
Subject & Meaning
The composition consists of non‑representational forms and layered textures, inviting viewers to consider the notion of “songlines” as pathways of cultural memory and sound, translated here into visual rhythm and movement rather than literal narrative.
Technique & Style
Created using printmaking processes typical of the ELP workshop, the piece demonstrates a combination of relief and intaglio methods that allow for intricate line work and subtle tonal variation. The limited size and edition reflect the collective’s emphasis on accessible, reproducible art.
History & Provenance
The print was issued as part of the 2011 ELP Box, an initiative that both archives members’ work and generates revenue for professional development. Selected copies from each box are donated to public collections; Songlines therefore exists both in private hands and in institutional archives.
Context
East London Printmakers, founded in 1998 in Hackney, provides studio space, equipment, and training for its members, fostering a collaborative environment for contemporary printmaking. The ELP Box series, including Songlines, exemplifies the group’s model of collective production and distribution.
Artist & collection
Artist
Manfred Welling’s big idea was to print the world in stripes. He spent years driving highways at night, using a camera rigged to a slit in his van to capture the road’s blur—one continuous band of light and asphalt.…
