Local Print is a pop-up workshop and evolving installation that offers a space to learn more about Risography and its role in advancing physical print in a digital age.
The Riso printer was first launched in Japan in 1980 and designed for inexpensive but high volume printing using environmentally-friendly soy-based inks. Since then it has become a catalyst for a thriving community of artists, graphic designers, printmakers, zinesters, and independent publishers who value its hands-on operation and its “perfectly imperfect” aesthetic of vibrant, saturated colors that is unlike any other printing process. The Riso printer also plays a significant role within the field of socially engaged printing and publishing, allowing individuals to bypass the gatekeepers of traditional publishing houses.
Local Print is a participatory space for learning about Riso printing and independent publishing. It will also be the temporary home for the RiSLO Studio, the Riso printing lab within Cal Poly’s Art & Design department. Walk-ins welcome Fridays, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Visitors to the show can:
• Take part in hands-on demonstrations of Riso printing as well as zinemaking workshops
• Print their work during Friday Open Studio hours
• Take home posters from an ongoing installation with reflections from the growing community of Riso printers and studios
• Learn more about Riso printing via ongoing screenings and the growing RiSLO zine library
