Artwork
Maypole
Maypole is an ink print by Adam Dix. It dates from 2009 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
Adam Dix made this screenprint in 2009. It’s titled Maypole and lives at the Victoria and Albert Museum.
Every year Jealous Print Studio picks one graduate from eight London art schools. The winner gets a paid print residency. Dix won from Wimbledon College of Art and made this print as part of the prize.
Look up the Victoria and Albert Museum.
Overview
In 2009, Jealous Print Studio launched a residency program for emerging printmakers, selecting one graduate from each of eight major London art institutions.
In 2009, Jealous Print Studio launched a residency program for emerging printmakers, selecting one graduate from each of eight major London art institutions. Adam Dix, winner from Wimbledon College of Art, produced the screenprint Maypole as part of this initiative. The work was created during a fully funded residency at Jealous, where studio technicians supported the development of a limited-edition print. All editions from the program have been donated to the V&A’s print collection.
Subject & Meaning
Maypole depicts a stylized, abstracted pole surrounded by flowing ribbons, evoking the traditional English spring celebration. The composition simplifies the ritual into rhythmic lines and flat color fields, suggesting movement and communal ritual without literal representation. The title invites association with seasonal customs, but the image remains open-ended, focusing on form and pattern rather than narrative.
Technique & Style
Created using screenprinting, Maypole employs layered flat hues and sharp, clean edges characteristic of the medium. Dix’s approach emphasizes geometric clarity and minimal detail, reducing the maypole motif to essential shapes. The print’s precision reflects the collaborative nature of the residency, where technical expertise enabled a refined execution of a concept rooted in reduction and repetition.
History & Provenance
Adam Dix’s Maypole was produced in 2009 as part of Jealous Print Studio’s inaugural Graduate Prize. The work entered the Victoria and Albert Museum’s collection through the studio’s ongoing donation of all editions from the program. Its inclusion in the V&A underscores the institution’s commitment to documenting contemporary printmaking practices and the role of artist residencies in fostering new work.
Context
The Jealous Graduate Prize emerged during a period of renewed interest in collaborative printmaking and postgraduate art education in London. By partnering with leading art schools and providing studio access, the initiative bridged academic training and professional practice. Maypole reflects this context: a student work elevated through institutional support and integrated into a national collection.
Legacy
Maypole remains part of a broader archive of works produced through the Jealous residency, each representing a moment in the careers of emerging British artists. Its presence in the V&A ensures continued access for study and display, contributing to the historical record of early 21st-century printmaking. The program’s model has influenced similar initiatives, reinforcing the value of studio-based mentorship in contemporary art.
Artist & collection
Artist
Adam Dix made screenprints in the 2000s. One of the best-known is Maypole from 2009, a bold, graphic image that plays with color and pattern. The print follows an abstract, folk-art tradition, stripping the maypole down…
