Print Shop: Full Point Graphics (fullpointgraphics.com)
Location: Brooklyn, New York
Tools and Supplies: General Formulations 223 6-mil matte, white, semi-rigid PVC, low-tack vinyl and Roland DG TruVis VG2-540 eco-solvent inkjet printer/cutter
THE AFRICA CENTER in New York is a multidisciplinary institution that provides a gateway for engagement with contemporary Africa. Juneteenth is a holiday that marks the end of slavery two years after the Emancipation Proclamation – a celebration of freedom and strength. Black Lives Matter is a decentralized political and social movement protesting against incidents of police brutality and all racially motivated violence against Black people. How does one PSP rise to the challenge of encapsulating all three missions?
Full Point Graphics’ solution came in the form of a three-story window display, spelling out the names of police brutality victims and the key phrase Black Lives Matter. The New York design company volunteered their services during the height of the pandemic and BLM movement to create “A Sign, Rising 45 Feet, Heralds the Juneteenth Holiday in New York.”
“As a minority-owned business, I sought out a way to help the marginalized community,” says Hiroshi Kumagai, owner of Full Point Graphics. “We instigated the project and reached out to The Africa Center to see if they were willing to collaborate with us. I wanted to show that it is not just ‘business’ we do. Our skillset can be put into a good use and a good cause to help the community.”
The project had its own unique challenges for the museum graphic studio, including a quick turnaround for a total of five days: three days to print and prep and two days of installation. Plus, the windows were not traditional, rectangular shapes, but instead trapezoids, creating a technical obstacle to work around. Using a Roland DG TruVis VG2-540 eco-solvent inkjet printer/cutter, Full Point Graphics printed the six-foot lettering onto General Formulations 223 6-mil matte, white, semi-rigid PVC, low-tack vinyl and adhered to black vinyl.
Trapezoid windows and a quick turnaround caused challenges when printing in support of the social movement.