TULSA,OKLA.- Philbrook presents the original exhibition Amazing! Mel Bochner Prints from the Collections of Jordan D. Schnitzer and His Family Foundation on Sunday, October 14. Featuring more than 50 prints by acclaimed American artist and printmaker Mel Bochner, Amazing! showcases Bochner’s abstract and thoughtful work from the late ’60s up to the present day. From minimalist postcards to towering prints of words, Bochner’s work presents a perspective-shifting view of language and meaning.

“When I was younger, I was clear about what my work meant,” Bochner said. “There was one interpretation. Mine. As time went by I began to become interested in the ways it was being misunderstood. Now my feeling is that for the work to continue to be relevant, it must be continually re-misunderstood.”

Presented in three sections — Language, Numbers, and Perspective — Amazing! is diverse in scope and scale. These prints show Bochner as a master who continues to push the boundaries of what prints can be.

Philbrook is the debut venue for this exhibition, which is curated by Sienna Brown, Nancy E. Meinig Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art.

“This exhibition allows Philbrook visitors to examine the way one singular artist uses printmaking, text, and numbers to challenge audiences and reflect the contemporary lexicon,” said Dr. Brown. “Moreover, Amazing!, which is pulled from the collections of Jordan D. Schnitzer and His Family Foundation, further cements the relationship between Philbrook and this thoughtful collector, whose passion and participation greatly enhances the exhibition.”

Since the late 1960s, Bochner has employed many different forms of printmaking, using and abusing its material possibilities and its unpredictability to counter the methodical fashion in which plates and stencils are cut, characters per line are fixed, or print runs set. His most sustained engagement with printmaking has been with Two Palms Press where he creates his monumental language based works.

“Mel Bochner’s lifetime artistic explorations of language, numbers and perspective reflect the biggest changes in society during the last several decades. His work, his art, demands we deal not only with our thoughts but also with our conversations,” said Jordan D. Schnitzer. “This is our second exhibition at Philbrook and we look forward to continuing our partnership in the future.” Mr. Bochner and Mr. Schnitzer will be in Tulsa the weekend of October 19-21 for several events at the Museum for Philbrook Members and the general public. A fully interactive Print Studio will be present outside the gallery through the run of the exhibition, featuring demonstrations by local artists and printmakers. A beautiful companion catalog with was published by D.A.P. and will be available in the Philbrook Museum Shop.