Kozo Display - Method

[deanwork]

Whoever posted this installation shot, can you tell me how the white strings are suspending this stacked frames? Are they glued on or what?

When is the Epson Kozo going to be available in the US. I thought it was this month?

My supplier said it was already available in Europe?

[Phil Indeblanc]

I've seen it done with fishing line, and they just get either on eyehole screws that a wire would normally go to, or stapled down with a knot.

[bill t.]

Interesting stuff.  I have to wonder if those particular images benefit much from the translucency.

Perhaps one could rice glue the prints to the wood, then remove them later by brushing water over the glued parts and waiting for it to sink in.

Better keep kids out of that exhibit, or at least pass out leashes at the door.

[jferrari]

Perhaps one could rice glue the prints to the wood, then remove them later by brushing water over the glued parts and waiting for it to sink in.

I would be concerned about leaching tannins from the wood strainer thereby discoloring the paper.    - Jim

[huguito]

In the case that you end up with slight waves or wrinkles on the print after mounting them glued to the wood frames, 
How would you make them tight and flat?
Can they be sprayed damp with just water and expect the prints to tight themselves while drying?

[Mark Lindquist]

I would be concerned about leaching tannins from the wood strainer thereby discoloring the paper.    - Jim

Often Rabbit Skin Glue is used first as a size on the wood, then as a glue. 
it's traditionally used as a size for gold leafing, among several other things.  Very stable, very strong.  Water soluable.  It is often preferred for just this type of application, because as it dries it shrinks and tightens the paper nicely.  I've used it on Shoji screens many times - it's great.

I think the string might be a waxed cording, btw, possibly a linen. 

[deanwork]

I was thinking about PVA polyvinyl acetate, bookbinding glue that museums use for rare books. Once that is on there is it totally permanent and dries pretty transparent. You are not going to remove that however.

As for wood in the frames attacking the paper, well kozo is mulberry wood fibers and I don't think it has the lignin taken out of it. It has been used for centuries in China and Japan for brush painting and that work has survived well  even when not in good storage conditions. It's not made like alpha cellulose papers in a purified state these days even, I don't think. Now if you are using the bleached version of kozo there might be a possibility of staining over the long term, don't know. The pva glue would protect it also.

I do believe the prints in this display jpeg were attached with some kind of double stick tape. Is there any strong tape of this kind that is safe to use?

john

[Mark Lindquist]

You're probably right about double sided tape on those frames.  The frames are cheaply made with glued mitered corners with staples in the corners - tacky....

Could be they might have used something like shoji-nori glue, but who knows, maybe even Elmers, for all we know.

PVA might be a better choice than RSG if not in a strictly enforced climate controlled environment.  If the environment is controlled RSG is best as it will pull up tightest.  Prints can be sprayed on back with distilled water, if the paper has been sized with RSG prior to printing.  PVA is non- hygroscopic so would work well in all situations, so you're right that would be a good choice.

There are several archival DST makers, namely Scotch, 3M, and Universal. 
All have archival iterations of their DS Tapes.

Sometimes Hinoki (Japanese Cypress) is used for frames because of the tight growth rings and excellent grain.
Normally it has few knots and is light weight with straight grain.  Additionally, mostly withstands water well.

[Alistair]

Whoever posted this installation shot, can you tell me how the white strings are suspending this stacked frames? Are they glued on or what?

When is the Epson Kozo going to be available in the US. I thought it was this month?

My supplier said it was already available in Europe?

Looks like the string passes through a hole drilled in the top and bottom of each frame. The string appears to be knotted on the underside of the hole. But that would be nearly impossible to get straight. Probably a clip of some sort on the string.

[deanwork]

What I'm probably going to do is use monofilament line. I wouldn't be stacking them like that but position each one by itself. I will place them a few feet out from the white gallery wall and hopefully bounce the gallery light off the wall behind them.

I did a job for someone last week on the traditional kozo and the show was apparently very well received as I talked to the artist this evening. She did relate something to me though. She had matted and framed these and put a space between the matt and back mount where light could reflect from the back. She did say that she had used corners and linen tape to attach the kozo to the back of the matt and that the reduction of humidity from the studio to the gallery location had cause several of them to change their shape and tighten up. She had to unframe several and reposition them in the gallery. After that all was good.

john

[jferrari]

Upon close inspection it appears to me that they are using a string similar to kite string and it is passed through a small hole in the strainer, leveled then stapled in place. You can see that the bottom print is suspended only from the lower frame rail of the upper print only and does not pass through behind the paper to the top of the upper print. This method seems to me at least that it would be quick, accurate and inexpensive in this application.   - Jim

[asnapper]

Here are a couple of videos showing different techniques for mounting Kozo on wooden frames.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xgC6OnFLiRk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Zqm_60N8ko

I bought a couple of rolls of 17" Epson's Kozo late last year when it was discounted by 25% by Epson Europe but I have yet to print with it.

[jferrari]

I'm pretty sure that if I start hauling this style of print around with me from show to show they're not going to look good for very long!     - Jim

[deanwork]

Thank you so much for the links. Gary Wornell is the guy who designed this paper for Epson. He is the one who sent us samples.

Can't believe it has been available in Europe for so long but still not here in the US. Guess i'm going to have to order it for Europe.

john

Here are a couple of videos showing different techniques for mounting Kozo on wooden frames.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xgC6OnFLiRk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Zqm_60N8ko

I bought a couple of rolls of 17" Epson's Kozo late last year when it was discounted by 25% by Epson Europe but I have yet to print with it.