Printed at the Palace

The Press at the Palace of the Governors, colloquially known as “The Palace Press,” is the oldest and longest-running letterpress operation of its kind in the state of New Mexico. Since its establishment in the early 1970s, the press has produced thousands of broadsides (single-sided posters combining art and text) and books, taught innumerable educational programs for students, and collaborated with hundreds of artists and writers from New Mexico and beyond.

Printed at the Palace showcases works printed at the Palace Press on historic nineteenth and early-twentieth century equipment. The materials range from handbills and pamphlets to meticulously crafted, handbound books. This series of prints demonstrates the trajectory of letterpress from its earliest days as a method of large-scale, high-volume production that included advertisements, magazines, and newspapers, to its current use as a medium for limited-edition fine prints and books.

Presented in this exhibition are broadsides from renowned poets such as Arthur Sze, N. Scott Momaday, and Gary Snyder. In addition, there are beautifully handcrafted books featuring iconic New Mexican artists Gustave Baumann and Peter Aschwanden, and contemporary posters and books by Barry Moser, Julie Chen, and Amos Kennedy.

Printed at the Palace is located in Rooms 10 and 11 in the Palace of the Governors. Visit the Palace Press print shop to see the historic presses where each printed page still passes through an artisan’s hand. 

Photo credit: Nicholas Graham