Anna Tararova—Risograph Artist Book Series
Five artists of color in Cuyahoga County (Leila Khoury, Kenyatta Crisp, Bianca Fields, Amber Ford, Arfil Pajarillaga) received access to Empress Editions studio space in Midtown Cleveland for one month each to design a risograph book. Artists were selected through a call for proposals juried by Eric Von Haynes of Flatlands Press. They each received design, layout, and color separation assistance as well as printing and binding services. The books will be released online, at local and national art book fairs, and during a public event at Outlandish Press.
The Risograph is used by independent artists and publishers to create unique, high-quality publications and art prints. Aside from the vibrant ink it uses and the relatively low overhead costs it demands, it insists on the use of both digital and analog printing methods, which makes for an equally modern and nostalgic experience. The Risograph machine operates by burning a stencil of an image into a fiber-based master, which is then wrapped around a color drum that pushes the ink onto the paper, thus creating a print. The Risograph prints hand-drawn images, computer-generated designs, text, and photographs. Like screenprinting, the Risograph uses halftones and only prints one color at a time, which creates imperfect registration and requires using a limited color pallet. These challenges are part of the appeal of Risograph printing and give the prints an imperfect, handmade feel. The soy-based ink is environmentally friendly and brings vivid saturation to the page.
The self-published and small press art book world lacks diversity because of the costs associated with publishing and access to specialized equipment and training. This residency is designed to promote inclusivity and give artists of color an opportunity to participate in the process of producing, publishing, and selling their work as an artist book.
Amber Ford
Bianca Fields
Kenyatta Crisp
Leila Khoury
Arfil Pajarillaga
