Originally named Alan Cristea Gallery after its founder, Cristea Roberts Gallery was established in London’s West End in 1995. Three years later, the space was renamed Cristea Roberts after David Cleaton-Roberts joined Cristea’s team as director, charged with bringing a new generation of artists to the gallery. Located in Pall Mall near Piccadilly, it specializes in original art prints and works on paper by some of the most recognizable names in contemporary art. Currently, the gallery is playing Sol LeWitt’s first London exhibition in eight years, showing a selection of the late American artist’s paintings between 1970 and 2005. (Other names on their list include Georg Baselitz, Julian Opie, Jim Dine and Antony Gormley, and the gallery’s master prints, Halton Gambo and Richard Al-Gaber.)
The Observer recently asked Cleaton-Roberts how potential collectors should go about finding prints, and he maintains that collectors should start with what they like. “Don’t be driven by investments, status or current trends, but rather identify which artists, eras or styles appeal to you and start looking,” he said. “Take the time to learn about artists and mediums and, most importantly, look for yourself. Look for artists who have really engaged with printmaking as a way to expand their repertoire. Be curious about what you’re looking at, and don’t be afraid to ask questions.” He admits that printing can seem confusing, with its niche terms and conflicting information and pricing, but real experts will be able to answer questions clearly. Authenticity is also important. “Be aware of how much the artist has had in making the work. Printmaking is an inherently collaborative process, but the artist must always be involved on some level.”
Before joining Cristea Roberts, Cleaton-Roberts served on the selection committee for the Armory Show and as vice president of the International Fine Prints and Drawings Association (IFPDA) in New York. Regarding the role that art fairs play in the world of printmaking, he says that fairs like Art Basel, Art Basel Miami Beach and Frieze London, which dedicate specific sectors to original prints, “are important as they are an opportunity for collectors to see which artists are making print media alongside other work areas. From historic Old Master prints to contemporary works, all under one roof.”
He is particularly interested in how artists’ print works are presented and seen in exhibitions. “I feel very strongly that print is often seen as the poor cousin of other speakers and is best placed in an exhibition when it is displayed among other works on an equal footing,” he explains. “I find shows that exclude publishers and booksellers—but then sell prints in their gift shops—frustrating and insulting to artists who prioritize printmaking as part of their work.”
Legacy printmaking aside, Cleaton-Roberts has some interesting thoughts on the convergence of the print market and new technologies. “Artists have always been quick to embrace new technology, and most are interested in how it can inform and advance their practice,” he said. “NFTs and the role of blockchain in the art world have been a talking point during the violence of COVID-19 when galleries, artists and collectors are forced to turn to more digital interactions, as opposed to human exchanges… What NFTs did before was a new way to release something published physically.” They announced the creation of online companies that launched programs, simulating the way NFTs were sold, where the size of the edition was determined by how many copies were sold at a certain time.
This way of working, he says, literally broke the water. Creative decisions that used to be part of the original artist’s process—choosing specific languages and program sizes, for example—were now being made by printmaking companies based solely on market demand. “This means that consumers do not specify exactly what they are buying at the time of purchase, which has led to an increase in reproductive literature being sold as new programs, limited by current and long-dead artists, who did not have a hand in their creation.” This creates confusion about what constitutes an original print—made by an artist, on purpose—versus a reproduction, where the artist had no input or input into the creative process.
It’s something many consumers don’t know, and for David, education plays an important role in preventing misunderstandings. “Most conversations about prints quickly focus on the technicalities, throwing out terms like intaglio, spit bite and planographic,” he says. “While important, I think this often obscures the real message, which is that printmaking—in its true and original use—is primarily a set of expressions for artists to create images and works of art. First I highlight how people often confuse the words ‘unique’ and ‘original’ to mean the same thing, which they don’t mean. Original text—not well printed—vs. print—not well produced, but printed. only one copy is printed.” He also spends time debunking commonly held myths. “A question often asked at lectures and art fairs is: ‘…is copy that leads magazines so important?’ The answer is ‘no’.”
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