We spent the evening at the Lenfest Center for the Arts attending the opening event celebrating Columbia University alumna Joan Jonas (class of ‘65) and her latest installation titled Joan Jonas: Moving Off the Land II (Excerpts).
Jonas’s work engages with science and stories of the ocean. By enlarging her ink drawings into banners, the installation establishes a striking visual presence in the lobby. When we entered the Lenfest Center for the Arts lobby, a school of bright red fish floated above from wooden rods, subtly ebbing and flowing as we moved around the space.
The fine art UV prints prompt reflection on the marine environments Jonas references and their connection to the academic foundations that shaped her career. Joan spoke briefly about her time at Columbia and encouraged all artists to “keep making”.
With the use of our SwissQ Impala UV printer, each of the eleven fish were printed on a banner-like material specifically sourced for this project together with Joan. The slightly textured polyester nods to a nautical material similar to that of a boat’s sail, playing into the oceanic theme of Jonas’s work. The ink drawing files were originally digitally color corrected and scaled for printing in collaboration with Joan for her retrospective exhibition at MoMA in 2024.
Joan Jonas: Moving Off the Land II (Excerpts) at the Lenfest Center for the Arts at Columbia University in Harlem. On view daily now through December 21, 2025, 11:00am – 5:00pm, and whenever public events are taking place at the Lenfest Center.
Photos courtesy of Olympia Shannon Studio and the Laumont team.
