Tag Archives: Raubdruckerin

Raubdruckerin

Raubdruckerin is an experimental print making project that uses urban structures like manhole covers, grids, technical objects and other surfaces of the urban landscape to create unique graphical patterns on streetwear basics, fabrics and paper.

Every piece is hand printed, mainly on-site in the public space, as a footprint of the city.

Raubdruckerin is based in Berlin, but is regularly on the road to street print all over European metropolis.

The main focus is to explore the surfaces of cities, searching for overlooked, seemingly insignificant details on the pavement, which turn out to be true urban design pieces.

They reveal unobserved parts of cities that are full of history, diversity and creativity.

The process of converting a detail of the city into an image, can be considered as reversed street art. A part of the city is being extracted from its origin and brought to new life in a different context.

Raubdruckerin was formed and is mainly run by Emma France Raff. Back in 2006, when she was living in Portugal she developed the idea together with her father, painter Johannes Kohlrusch.

Two years later, back in Berlin, Emma got inspired by the local manhole covers and she started printing the motives.

The pieces are printed on-site, at the original location of the chosen manhole cover or similar object. The fact that this way of textile printing is taking place outside, in the public space, creates situations that would never happen in conventional textile printing and manufacturing. It allows passengers to become viewers, observing the process as it evolves.

The low-tech printmaking technique is a simple, manual procedure. They use ecofriendly ink for their print works. The ink is water based and 100% free from petrol.

The plan for the future includes a “Grand Tour” through Europe to collect all prints possible and also they dream about travelling through Japan, the place with the most extravagant manhole covers in the world.

Raubdruckerin is hosting regular ‘street printing’ workshops at selected events, festivals and neighborhood fiestas with focus on creative exchange, under involvement of people of all ages and backgrounds.

raubdruckerin.de