ADAPT shows the way for digital art repro

The innovative exhibition highlighted the growing interest in the use of digital technology to reproduce art works for sale or the home. Pioneering a whole new imaging sector, the exhibitors found the attendance to be serious and well versed in the technical and commercial potential of the giclée process.

It seems likely the show will become a regular event on the graphic arts calendar with most of the major exhibitors confirming their intention to participate in ADAPT 2006, which will be held in Melbourne next July.

ADAPT 2005 featured a broad exhibition of professional digital image capture, processing and reproduction technologies, plus more than expected examples of original and giclée art and photography.

“The show was very good for us and we’ll be back,” commented DES managing director Ian Clare during his address at the ADAPT Awards. “DES is firmly committed to the growth of digital art and photography in Australia at a professional level.” DES amplified the message by hosting the Journey beyond Creation evenings this week in Brisbane, Melbourne and (tonight, Thursday 28th July) Sydney.

ADAPT’s largest exhibitor and Platinum Sponsor, EPSON also found the event ground-breaking. Pro Graphics Business Unit Manager Craig Heckenberg said; “We are in this for the long haul, the market still has incredible growth potential as professional photographers switch from silver-halide and artworks are multi-purposed in limited editions.”

Hasselblad distributor CR Kennedy & Co had a strong show with Pro Division manager Damon Rulach saying, “We want a good spot at next year’s show.”

Giclée pioneer and artist of note Jan Neil of Jan Neil Oz Images commented; “ADAPT was excellent for us, we have gained many more customers and sold both original and giclée artworks.”

Award winners

Stephen Best, of the ACT won the Epson Award for Digital Imaging Excellence laurels with his stunning image of rock formations looking like a pair of hands cradling the granite. He used a 4” x 5” view camera with film which was scanned into a Hasselblad-Imacon Flextite scanner and printed on an Epson 4800. Because the prize itself was an Epson 4800, Stephen has upgraded to a 7800. He also took out the HP Award for Digital Photographic Reproduction, which earned him the latest HP DesignJet 90 A2 printer with Vivera inks.

Jack van Gastel, SA’s doyen of art printers, won the DES Award for Digital Art Reproduction with his canvas-printed reproduction of a Phil Morris original “Sailors Wedding’’, scanned on a Screen Cezanne scanner and printed on an HP 5000.

Amanda Keuk from Sydney won GASAA’s Digital Imaging Young Achiever Award with here haunting photo montage taken with a Canon D70 camera, worked on in Photoshop and printed on Epson fine art paper.

The ADAPT seminar program drew speakers from Australia, the USA, UK, Germany and Spain and was packed with useful information for this emerging market.

Founder and co-organizer of ADAPT, Andy McCourt commented, “With the excellent operational skills of Exhibitions Pty Ltd, and sponsor support, we were able to achieve a world first here in Australia. Like all ‘first-ups’ there were some rough edges but overall we are very pleased, and so are the nearly 1200 people who attended.

“One New Zealand seminar delegate and exhibition visitor, Tom Starr from Mozzi Screen printing told me the trip had been well worth while and he had learnt plenty to guide him in his company’s digital strategy. I am sure there were others like that. As the old MGM Studios motto went ‘Ars Gratia Artis’ – Art for Art’s sake.

The venue for ADAPT 2006 in Melbourne will be announced within the next four weeks.