Letterpress is a project that documents a centennial printing shop that's still active, and does not recur to digital or industrial resources. The only way to print is by letterpress.

It is increasingly rare to find places like this. As such, I felt it necessary to record it for future memory.

 

This is a century old establishment that has always been in the hands of the same family. In the 60s, it was one of the most renowned printing shops of Porto. However, no investments were made in terms of machinery, which made it impossible to compete with other printing shops. Moreover, with computerization and industrialization of the printing industry, it has come to lose customers, having frozen in time. Currently, it is almost more of a hobby than a business, much to the owner's sorrow.

This space also bears some nostalgia, having already seen its prime and becoming each day more outdated.

 

The photographic work of the duo Yves Marchand and Romain Meffre of abandoned locations, had a strong influence on the course of my work. Particularly, the series titled The Ruins of Detroit, conveys a very special atmosphere, nostalgic, leading us to imagine how that space might have been like in the past.

 

The series consists of a total of fifteen pictures, describing the space, its organization and workings, as well as the owner's personality.

Here I present a selection that I believe better represents the series, characterizing the space not only as a workshop, but also as to its ambience.

 

 

June 2012