Mapping Human Migration

What appeared to be a straightforward floor-graphic job for the San Diego Museum of Man almost didn’t materialize for Coronado, California-based Ape Wraps. The problem: The floor onto which the graphic would be installed was tiled as well as painted, two factors that, by themselves, can make for a difficult job. When combined, however, “They scream, ‘Don’t go there, just walk away,’” says Troy Downey, owner of Ape Wraps.

Which is ironic, because the job—a large-scale migrations map designed to sit in the middle of the museum’s Genographic Project exhibit, part of National Geographic’s project of the same name—would allow museum visitors to “walk” their ancestors’ journey across the globe.

Downey didn’t walk away from the job, however, instead finding a media that would adhere to the surface without damaging the paint or tile when removed. Ape Wraps used its 64-inch Mimaki JV3 with Onyx ProductionHouse RIP to output onto Avery MPI 1005 Easy Apply RS vinyl. For finishing, Downey and crew added Avery DOL 1080 Matte overlaminate with an AGL Encore NH laminator.

Final output measured 12 x 24 feet. The graphic took four hours to print and two installers four hours to install last October. 

APE WRAPS
www.apewraps.com