Rizomasr is Bringing the Craft of Risograph Printing to Egypt

Nothing gives us more pleasure than when cool new artsy things show up in the Egyptian market. The latest of fads is Rizomasr, Egypt’s first risograph studio founded by Egyptian artist Yousef Sabry, known globally for his unique designs of Acne Paper’s newest issue (read our interview with Yousef Sabry here). 

So what is a ‘Risograph’, and why is it important? The Risograph, AKA Riso, is a stencil printer that uses a layer by layer technique to produce multi-coloured prints. It’s a hybrid between screen printing and photocopying, allowing artists to create genuine, unique high-quality prints in mass quantities. This revolutionised creative print mediums such as posters, comics, and zines by providing a dynamic and affordable means of self publishing.  

Through this, independent artists are empowered with an accessible, easy, and affordable way to experiment with a process that facilitates uniqueness. The invention of the Riso was based on the discovery of soybean ink in Japan in the mid 1900s. The ink was eventually incorporated in the riso machine, providing what is today considered the world’s most sustainable and affordable ink. 

The risograph prints per layer, meaning each colour is separate and printed on top of the other, usually printing from brightest to darkest, creating a variety of different colours when overlapping, akin to the screen printing process made most famous by Andy Warhol’s ‘Marily Monroe’ piece in 1967.  

Rizomasr is therefore the perfect platform for artists to try an entirely new medium – it’s the platform that is allowing Cairene artists to take back their autonomy and independence in art, giving them the space to create without limitations.