The name Grafein
The word Grafein refers to the Greek word γραϕειν, which means to incise, engrave or write.
Who we are
The Grafein Foundation was established on 11 June 2018 by Maria Kapteijns, Cisca Poldervaart and Joyce Gabeler.
In 2021 Maja Anna Chris and Hans Laban joined the Board of Grafein.
In 2023 Cisca Poldervaart resigned, in order to give priority to printing.
What we do
Grafein initiates, facilitates, and participates in printmaking projects in and beyond the Netherlands. We see graphic art and printmaking as an important contemporary art form with its own visual language and history. Our goal is to keep professionals, the public, printmakers, institutions, and art collectors interested in graphic art. The foundation aims to achieve this goal by organizing various projects and events, special exhibitions and projects in the field of printmaking, and by expanding and supporting the (knowledge) network of printmaking professionals. The first event we organized was Grafiek2019.
In 2022, Grafein is organizing Grafiek2022, the next edition of this triennial.
We are happy to offer our network of knowledge and contacts to the friends of Grafein. Feel free to contact us for organizing projects and exhibitions, or with initiatives you would like to share with fellow printmakers.
Grafein is an independent cultural public benefit organization (PBO – in Dutch: ANBI).
Friends
To pursue its goals Grafein needs more than project grants alone. In addition Grafein also needs friends who wish to support us financially and friends who support us practically, with all kinds of smaller or bigger tasks .
In return, we support these friends in their printmaking activities and ideas.
Grafein established four categories of Friends, collectively supporting printmaking in The Netherlands as well as beyond its borders.