SQUID INK: performed as a Edinburgh Printmakers Masterclass on Portobello Beach, Edinburgh

SQUID INK is an Environmental Awareness Printmaking Project. International in scope, it aims to engage the public through direct involvement with the process of printmaking, using natural biodegradable materials, particularly on municipal beaches, highlighting some of the major concerns of plastic in marine environments. These include microplastics in marine food chains, floating accumulative pollutants and marine animals choking and entangling themselves with plastic detritus in oceans across the globe.

The materials used in the Printmaking process include natural squid ink, in the first instance sourced from Spanish fishmongers, and Manutex a 100% natural Scottish seaweed derived product, used in the Textile industry as a printing medium to transfer dyes to all types of cloth.

SQUID INK was first performed at the Impact 10, International Print Conference, Sardinero Beach, Santander Spain in September 2018, where it received widespread coverage from Spanish print, tv-based media as well as social media.

It was additionally supported by Edinburgh Printmakers to accompany their final exhibition ‘Deluge’ at their existing premises and subsequently performed as a Masterclass on Portobello Beach in December 2018. The Deluge exhibition was conceived and curated by David Faithfull and included the work of approx. 50 EP members on the theme of water and its place within Scottish printmaking, in both process (water lithography and water-based screen-printing) and conceptually (culturally, industrially, meteorologically and environmentally).

Squid Ink was also performed at PRINTed#5 at EINA in Barcelona this April 2019.

Due to the lack of tide in the Mediterranean it was printed on the concrete breakwater rather than directly on the beach.

The project seems to induce major reaction from both the public and the media and future invitations are welcomed to perform SQUID at residencies, festivals, exhibitions and events.