Tamarind Institute

The Tamarind Institute at the University of New Mexico is one of the most important lithography workshops and research institutions in the world, responsible more than any other single institution for the revival of fine art lithography as a medium in the United States. Founded in Los Angeles in 1960 by artist June Wayne with a Ford Foundation grant, Tamarind relocated to the University of New Mexico in 1970 and has operated since as a professional training program for master printers, a collaborative workshop for artists, and a research center for the history and practice of lithography.

The Tamarind program trains lithography printers to the highest professional standards, producing the master printers who work in collaboration with artists at fine art print workshops across the country and internationally. The list of artists who have worked at Tamarind during its six decades of operation reads as a survey of important American and international art: Josef Albers, Richard Diebenkorn, Sam Francis, June Wayne herself, and hundreds of others have produced editions at the institute that are now held in major museum collections worldwide. The program's Albuquerque base has made it a significant part of the city's cultural infrastructure, connecting the university's art department to a professional practice context of genuine international significance.

The institute's gallery presents exhibitions of lithography and other print media, making it a resource for collectors and students interested in the medium. Editions produced at Tamarind are available for purchase through the institute and through galleries that represent the collaborating artists. The research library holds extensive archives documenting the history of the institute and the prints produced there, making it a significant resource for scholars of American printmaking. For visitors interested in seeing fine art printing in action, the institute occasionally opens its workshop to public viewing during special events. Tamarind's contribution to the elevation of printmaking from craft to recognized fine art medium is one of the most significant institutional achievements in post-war American art.