Opening Reception: RISO!

RISO! will be Hecho a Mano’s first show centering the risograph, a digital printing technique known for its vivid colors and crisp, layered textures. The word ‘risograph’ comes from the name of a printer and ink company—RISO—created by Noboru Hayama in Japan in 1946. The development of both the risograph and soy-based ink was a response to the expense of importing emulsion ink after World War II.

The risograph machine looks a lot like an office photocopier, but works more like a compact duplicator press. It creates a ‘digital stamp’ from an uploaded or scanned image and etches it into a rice sheet, which is the master from which all subsequent prints are made.

“I think it really hits at some of the core qualities that draw people to printmaking,” says Hecho a Mano owner and director Frank Rose. “There’s the reproducibility, the affordability, and being able to still get something that’s artistic and very unique.”