May Day 1985

Print

New Museum Los Gatos

Name/Title

May Day 1985

Entry/Object ID

2025.5.9

Description

An intaglio; etching and aquatint print depicting May Day in Prague. The image features a large crowd of people in the foreground, with red banners in the mid-ground.

Type of Print

Etching, Aquatint, Intaglio

Artwork Details

Subject Place

City

Prague

Country

Czechoslovakia (pre-1993)

Region

Central Europe

Continent

Europe

Collection

Art Collection

Cataloged By

registrar@numulosgatos.org

Acquisition

Accession

2025.5

Source or Donor

Kristin Lindseth

Acquisition Method

Gift

Credit Line

Gift of the Artist

Made/Created

Artist Information

Artist

Kristin Lindseth

Role

Print Maker

Date made

1995

Time Period

20th Century

Inscription/Signature/Marks

Type

Inscription, Signature

Location

Below print image

Transcription

Artist Proof May Day 1985 Kristin Lindseth

Language

English

Material/Technique

Pencil

Lexicon

Nomenclature 4.0

Nomenclature Tertiary Object Term

Etching

Nomenclature Secondary Object Term

Print, Intaglio

Nomenclature Primary Object Term

Nomenclature Sub-Class

Graphic Documents

Nomenclature Class

Documentary Objects

Nomenclature Category

Category 08: Communication Objects

Dimensions

Width

13-5/8 in

Length

11 in

Condition

Overall Condition

Very Good

General Notes

Note Type

Artist’s Intent Note

Note

The theme is freedom. We in the US have taken it for granted, but occupation and oppression are never out of the realm of possibility. This print represents the Soviet occupation of the Czech Republic which had previously been occupied by Germany. The print shows May Day, also known as International Workers Day, which is a celebration of labor, but here in 1985 Prague under censorship and with lack of freedom of movement, it lacks any celebratory air. There is however, one balloon escaping - a symbol of freedom.