Biomorphis in collaboration with CELEST. have been commissioned to design and install an exhibition for Out Of The Blueprint to showcase new work by artists each pushing the limits of RISO production.
The installation took place at the historic Drill Hall in Leith, where the artworks were also printed on site. This dual role of production and exhibition shaped the architectural concept. The space does not simply display finished works. Instead, it immerses visitors in the process of making.
Design Concept
We conceived the exhibition as a walk-in RISO machine. The installation surrounds the audience, placing them inside the logic and rhythm of the printing process. Movement through the space mirrors the journey of paper through a press.
Scale, repetition, and layering define the design. Hanging prints emerge directly from the structure, as if freshly pulled from the machine. This approach removes the distance between artwork, process, and viewer.
The design celebrates imperfection. Slight misalignments, colour overlaps, and tonal variations remain visible. These qualities form an essential part of RISO printing and give each piece its character.
Spatial Experience
The installation encourages slow movement and close observation. Visitors walk among the prints rather than around them. As a result, the exhibition feels tactile and immediate.
The suspended works respond to air movement and proximity. This subtle motion reinforces the sense of an active, working environment. The space feels alive, experimental, and generous.
By printing on site, the exhibition blurs the boundary between studio and gallery. The Drill Hall becomes both a place of production and a space for encounter.
Artistic Scope
The exhibition features a wide range of practices. Narrative illustration sits alongside genre-bending and experimental work. Together, the pieces form a vivid snapshot of contemporary Scottish creativity.
Each artist explores RISO printing differently. Some focus on storytelling. Others test abstraction, colour, or repetition. The installation allows these diverse approaches to coexist within a shared spatial framework.
Outcome
“Walk Don’t Walk” demonstrates how architectural design can amplify artistic process. By transforming the exhibition into an immersive machine-like environment, the project invites the public to engage with RISO printing as both craft and performance.
The result is a vibrant, participatory exhibition that foregrounds making, embraces imperfection, and celebrates collaboration across disciplines. It reflects Biomorphis’ ongoing interest in temporary architecture, installation design, and the intersection of art and spatial experience.
Exhibition & Partners
- Out of the Blueprint
https://outoftheblue.org.uk
Anchor: contemporary art exhibitions in Leith - CELEST. Studio
https://www.celeststudio.co.uk
Technique & Context
- Risograph Printing
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Risograph
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