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Expanded Wall Label:
This print is part of the Israelite Tel Suite series. The Israelite Tel suite is a collection of four intaglio collagraphs, depicting important archaeological sites relating to Biblical Israel. A tel is a mound covering the site of some ancient settlement, generally consisting of many layers of rubble and artifacts left by succeeding civilizations. Strata accentuated by horizontal lines divide the picture into three levels, forming a cross section of archaeological time. In the Israelite Tel Suite, Bowden brings together earth and time, incorporating the present landscape of each site, some finds embedded in a strata, and centered in each piece, a significant specific object relating to the tels history.
Tel Gezer was an important Cannanite city strategically located between Egypt and Assyria during Biblical times. The city was included in the dowry King Solomon received from one of hs wives. Excavations uncovered a boundary inscription which identified the city's name. Burial sites were found which included pottery, plates, and jars, even though this custom was forbidden by the Torah. The Gezer calendar, centered within the print, dates from about 950BCE, is an agricultural calendar lasting the months of harvest, in gathering and planting.
A collagraph is an intaglio printing process, which used a built-up collaged plate made from a great variety of materials (strips of fabric, thread, aluminum foils, plants, marble dust, acrylic modeling paste) that are glued onto the surface of the masonite or cardboard. The surface is then painted or inked and run through an etching press at several thousand pounds of pressure, thereby transferring the paint and the texture to the surface of the paper. The process is completely repeated to create another print in the edition.