As we are still gathering applications for Singulart Prize 2025 we thought this would be a good time to reflect on the Singulart Award 2024 and its focus on the “Limited Editions.” The Singulart team is honored to have Victor Bramsen, one of last year’s distinguished jurors, and Singulart partners, join us for an interview in this article. As the managing partner of the famous Atelier Clot, Bramsen & Co., Victor brings to the table his deep knowledge of the timeless art of printmaking and how the expanding world of art publishing works. In this article he talks about his career, innovation’s importance, and what makes limited editions so special.
Can you introduce yourself, tell us about your background, and your role at Atelier Clot?
My name is Victor Bramsen and I am 32 years old. I am currently the managing partner of Atelier Clot, Bramsen & Co. Our studio specializes in publishing and printing prints, lithographs, and high-definition digital prints. My background has its twists and turns; after studying history, sociology, and political communication, I wanted to work in electoral strategy. That area didn’t suit me, so I reoriented myself toward the art trade. After various experiences, I joined Atelier Clot, focusing on communication, gallery management, social media, and artist relations.
Atelier Clot is the oldest company in the world dedicated to art printing, with a history dating back to 1896. What does it mean to be part of such an emblematic institution, and what role does innovation play today?
Every time that I’m asked this question, I think of the title of Brassens song: “Le temps ne fait rien à l’affaire” (“Time doesn’t matter”). I would like to point out that for me innovation plays a key role. When I joined the Atelier almost five years ago, we had little to no presence online. Artists, printers, and some gallery owners rejected this modernity. For them, it disrupted the intimate relationship between the collector and the artwork, preserving a kind of opacity. Yet social media has proven to be a powerful tool in promoting a new generation of artists who wouldn’t have emerged without the internet. Today, it’s no longer even a question of whether to go online or not. Therefore, innovation is central to modernizing the studio and essential when printing contemporary art. Since every print is unique, we must constantly adapt to the artist’s demands because printmaking is continuously reinventing itself.
Atelier Clot has collaborated with some of history’s greatest artists, from Renoir to Munch. How do you select the artists you work with today, and what qualities do you look for in potential collaborations?
In 128 years, we have printed nearly 8,000 different prints by around 800 artists from 70 countries- from the most famous to the most obscure. Some previously-unknown artists have become illustrious, while the previously-illustrious can lose their popularity over time. We can’t say we are selective. We don’t select artists- we choose each other together with the artists. There are no rules; the desire to create quality work together and sincerity are enough for a good collaboration. It’s an elective partnership, I would say.
You were a partner and jury member for the 2024 Singulart Awards dedicated to Limited Editions. How did you approach selecting the winning editions, and what key elements, in your view, make an edition truly exceptional?
As Kafka said, “The gaze does not seize images; it is the images that seize the gaze. They flood the consciousness.” Which works seize my gaze and why? I believe that no one has truly unraveled this mystery yet; otherwise, we would’ve been captivated by art all the time. I often wonder at what point and why did some people start feeling emotion at the ink marks on a sheet of canvas? There is an inherent artistic quality, hard to define, that combines with a social context, an era, and a sensitivity.
For artists who are hesitant or have questions about working with limited editions, what benefits or interesting opportunities do you think they can gain?
Expanding your modes of expression is always beneficial, particularly in printmaking. It allows you to create a complete artwork while reaching a broader audience. Instead of addressing just a handful of collectors, you reach many. Artists make their work more accessible. Many artists have used printmaking as a way to become known to a wider audience and have become great artists- Pierre Alechinsky is a perfect example. Art is not only for the rich. Additionally, it can provide a significant source of income for artists.
This year, the Singulart Prize 2025 introduces a distinction dedicated to the Best Edition. What essential advice would you give to candidates submitting their work for the Best Limited Edition prize?
The art world is far too vast, and artists are far too unique for them to suffer from our advice. We are at their service, and this role demands a certain restraint. However, I would say: be sincere in your approach. Insincerity in art is always unmasked sooner or later.
Victor Bramsen’s reflections also put in perspective the fine line between art printing tradition and innovation. Contemporary artists interested in limited editions all have a guiding light in his passion for preserving the integrity of the craft while embracing modernity. As we look toward the Singulart Prize 2025 and its new focus “Deeply Human”, Victor’s advice to approach art with sincerity serves as a powerful reminder: The authenticity speaks past the ink and reaches past people’s ears.
