Sala L Exhibition Explores Creative Imperfection in Graphic Design

Sala L at La Recova is hosting the exhibition Errata. Modus operandi until May 10th. Managed by the Autonomous Organization of Culture (OAC) of the Santa Cruz de Tenerife City Council, the show is a collaboration between two local collectives: Tipos en su tinta and Reset Risografik. Both groups are well-known in the Canary Islands for their research into graphic arts and experimental production.

More than just a display of artwork, the project invites viewers to rethink how we approach visual production today. In a digital world that often prioritizes speed and technical perfection, this exhibition celebrates the "flaw" as a vital part of the creative process. By using techniques like risography and letterpress printing, the artists shift the focus away from the final result and toward the physical materials themselves. Here, accidents and technical deviations are not seen as mistakes, but as creative tools.

The exhibition highlights the expertise of its organizers. Tipos en su tinta, founded in 2013 by Matthias Beck and Lars Petter Amundsen, has spent over a decade in Santa Cruz bridging the gap between traditional printing machinery and modern practice. Reset Risografik, which began in 2020 as a project within the University of La Laguna’s Design degree program under Javier Cabrera, focuses on applying academic knowledge to professional work. Their workshop is a hub for experimentation and a key part of the annual Tenerife Creative Camp at the Faculty of Fine Arts.

Ultimately, the exhibition serves as a manifesto for creative freedom. By highlighting the "seams" of design—such as ink variations, misalignments, and printing irregularities—the artists challenge the standard conventions of modern graphic design. They argue for a shift in perspective, suggesting that embracing imperfection can be more valuable than striving for absolute control.