Grafill Stavanger

Finnish letterpress printer Sakari Männistö and Norwegian type designer Frode Helland have unearthed a set of letterforms from Finland’s first printing press and brought them back to life in Sakari’s workshop, Letterpress House. Although the project is rooted in Turku – where Finland’s first and, so far, last printing press is now being operated using the same letters and the same machines – the project is first and foremost concerned with the idea of place identity.

On the last weekend of September, Turku Type Revival is coming to Stavanger. They will be joined by Benjamin Hickethier (USW) – a local risograph printer, hobby archivist and graphic designer. Old meets new as the trio hosts a workshop at IDDIS – Norwegian Printing Museum.

During the workshop, we will borrow old newspaper front pages from the Stavanger Aftenblad archives. The original headlines will be blocked out, and the front pages reproduced as risograph prints at a suitable scale. In their place, participants will compose new headlines using 12-cicero wood type, printed using traditional analogue techniques. By bringing these old front pages into the present, the new headlines recontextualise the original images and surrounding text.

Saturday, 26 September
Talk, 10:00-11:00
Free for Grafill members / NOK 170 for non-members
Workshop, 11:15–16:00, including lunch
NOK 390 for Grafill members / NOK 590 for non-members

Sunday, 27 September
Workshop, 10:00–16:00, including lunch
The workshop takes place over both days.

The talk will be held in English.