The International Fine Print Dealers Association (IFPDA) Print Fair returns this spring to New York’s Park Avenue Armory from March 27–30. Over 70 galleries and publishers from around the world will come together to exhibit fine art prints, spanning from Old Masters to contemporary works.
Held annually, the IFPDA Print Fair is the largest and longest-running fair dedicated to prints and editions. This year, it will feature exhibitors from the U.S., U.K., Canada, Europe, and Africa, offering an exciting range of new works.
As part of its ongoing tradition, the fair continues to invite artists actively involved in printmaking to create unique, site-specific installations. In previous years, artists like Derrick Adams, LaToya Hobbs, Yashua Klos, and Swoon have been commissioned to design installations. For the 2025 fair, Mickalene Thomas will present l’espace entre les deux (2025), an installation that reflects her long-standing interest in interiors and printmaking, while pushing the conceptual boundaries of both. The project, commissioned by the IFPDA and produced by the Jordan Schnitzer Family Foundation, consists of two rooms that explore these themes.
In l’espace entre les deux, Thomas, with help from Two Palms Press, has created paper-pulp sculptures, collages, cloth-like paper inspired by traditional Korean Joomchi, silkscreens, and three-dimensional cast paper works. These pieces evoke the feeling of stepping into one of Thomas’s signature living rooms, complete with paper versions of plants, lamps, books, furniture, and carpets. The work transcends the trompe l’oeil technique, suggesting a space between realistic reproduction and the recognition of artificiality.
During a studio visit at Two Palms, Thomas reflected, “In art, we often draw inspiration from what nature has already created. Trees, which are the origin of paper, exist in three dimensions—so why can’t the paper we create reflect that same depth and dimensionality?”
Although Mickalene Thomas is widely recognized for her portrayals of the Black female form, her interior scenes are often devoid of people. Yet, the same powerful, sensual ease found in her portraits is infused into these rooms. The décor and arrangement of objects within them do not suggest a single, fixed narrative but rather offer multiple layers of narrative potential. While the inhabitants of these spaces remain unknown, their presence and sensibility are still felt.
“I am always thinking about how to juxtapose different types of materiality,” Thomas explained. “I’m intrigued by the possibilities of printmaking and how I can push beyond its conventional limits to explore new creative boundaries.”
In l’espace entre les deux, Thomas’s playful and exploratory approach to materials results in a dynamic, living collage. This transforms the space into a conversation with the framed collages displayed within it. She turns what others might consider a limitation—working mainly with paper—into an expansive world of creative potential.
Mickalene Thomas will give a talk on Saturday, March 29th, at the IFPDA Print Fair, which runs from March 27-30 at the Park Avenue Armory.
