Generation Z is increasingly turning to analog media, reminiscent of a time before the internet. In addition to DVDs and print magazines, snail mail is gaining popularity as more individuals seek out environments free from algorithms and artificial intelligence.
Long before our lives were dominated by endless scrolling, Gabriella Marcella was addressing digital fatigue through her design studio, Risotto. Founded in 2012 after her university graduation, Marcella discovered her passion for risograph printing. She acquired a secondhand machine and began her venture from her bedroom, eventually moving to the Glue Factory, a repurposed warehouse that accommodates her studio and other creative professionals.
In 2017, Marcella expanded her vision by launching the Riso Club, a subscription service that sends four postcards by four different artists to subscribers each month. “As a print fanatic, I’m guilty of having a lot of prints that just sit in a cupboard, so I think having them as a useful object is really important,” she shared with It’s Nice That.
The initiative flourished, and this month Risotto is marking its 100th mailing with a significant retrospective showcasing all 400 artworks together for the first time. Displayed from April 11 to 19 at the Glue Factory, the exhibition highlights the diverse styles, aesthetics, and messages captured through risograph prints. Artists from cities like Bogota, Damascus, Philadelphia, and Melbourne contribute their work, reaching global audiences. Marcella elaborates:
Having something like a subscription that allows you to consume creative media on a completely different cycle, as slow as snail mail is, is really refreshing. I also think having that physical object in front of you that you can interact with means you engage with the work more, you might read the caption at the back, find out who the artist is, and so on.
For those new to the club or unable to attend the exhibition, Risotto has released a digital atlas of all 400 works. More information is available on the studio’s website and their Instagram page.
