May marks 185 years since the birth of a pioneering inventor who put Lancaster on the printing map. Originally from Bohemia, now the Czech Republic, Karel Klic settled in Lancaster for several years from the 1890s. There, along with the city's Storey Brothers, he developed photogravure printing and established the Rembrandt Intaglio Printing Company.
Celebrating a Revolutionary Process
Now, Klic and his revolutionary process for reproducing high quality images which brought art to the masses, is being celebrated with a year-long project entitled Copy That, run by Lancashire-based arts and heritage charity, Mirador and funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund.
As part of events to mark Lancaster Day on June 12, Mirador will be giving a talk about the project in The Sanctuary at Lancaster Library from 12:30pm. Admission is free. The day will also see the launch of a new Klic Town Trail, a self-guided walk featuring places in Lancaster associated with the inventor including the Meadowside home where he lived and the site of the Rembrandt Intaglio Printing Company.
Workshops and Community Engagement
The Copy That project has already got off to a flying start with the launch of a resource pack for schools and a series of workshops attracting people of all ages and backgrounds. The first workshop at Morecambe Riso Press CIC was a sell-out as are two cyanotype sessions at local libraries. Others, including Smartphone photography sessions with the East Meets West Refugee Women's Group have been well supported too. More workshops for schools and other groups are continuing throughout the spring and summer.
“We are very pleased that our project celebrating Karel Klic has started so well and are looking forward to sharing more of his story and other forthcoming events at our talk on Lancaster Day,” said Mirador co-founder and creative producer, George Harris.
Upcoming Exhibition
The project will culminate with an exhibition at The Storey Gallery in November, a century since Klic's death. For information and updates on Copy That - The Revolution in Photomechanical Printing, visit www.miradorarts.co.uk.
Location: City of Lancaster, Lancashire
