By Graham K. Rogers

Ever since the Middle Ages (and perhaps before), there have been people willing to support artists. In Florence for example, the powerful Medici family supported not only Da Vinci but also Raphael among many others. The tradition of the wealthy supporting Art continued into the 20th Century, for example with the steel baron, Andrew Carnegie, making several endowments in his later life.

Companies continue this relationship: those that make money helping to support Art, artists and other causes. Epson is one company that has a good record for support of the Arts as well as the environment, with examples that include

• The Light Spectacular at Der Schöne Schein, Gasometer Oberhausen

• Help to Preserve Rare Birds in Croatia

• An Environmental Photography project at Zingst

• Help for NYC SALT Non-Profit Engage, Inspire and Empower Photography Students

In collaboration with the American photographer, William Klein, Epson France recently helped Polka Magazine with an event held at the prestigious la Galerie Polka in Paris.

Prints selected by visitors to the Gallery were reproduced on Epson state-of-the-art printers by Picto, an Authorized Digigraphie Laboratory in Paris. The printing was overseen by Klein himself.

Visitors to the exhibition could follow their art through a series of workshops in each stage of the production process including the printing.

1. Selection of the photograph in the gallery
2. Printing of the photograph on an Epson Stylus Pro 3880
3. Cutting to the right dimensions
4. Stamping the artwork with original stamps
5. Numbering and delivery of the Digigraphie certificate
6. Framing, and signature by the artist

The printing was done using the Epson Stylus Photo 3880 and all stages of the reproduction were supervised by William Klein.

More information is available via the Epson press release.

Graham K. Rogers teaches at the Faculty of Engineering, Mahidol University in Thailand where he is also Assistant Dean. He wrote in the Bangkok Post, Database supplement on IT subjects. For the last seven years of Database he wrote a column on Apple and Macs. He is now continuing that in the Bangkok Post supplement, Life.