Goldsmiths University Showcases Toshiba Hybrid MFP in Groundbreaking Art Exhibition

Goldsmiths, University of London is one of the UK’s leading creative institutions, known for pushing boundaries across the arts, humanities, and social sciences. When faculty members at the university wanted to explore innovative approaches to sustainability and paper consumption, they turned to Toshiba’s erasable printing technology to create a public artwork that would spark genuine conversation about environmental responsibility.

The Context

Paper waste is a significant issue in university environments, where students and staff produce enormous volumes of printed material — much of which has a very short useful life. Dr Claire Makhlouf Carter, Programme Leader of Fine Arts at Goldsmiths, became interested in erasable printing technology after hearing about the concept on the radio. She saw an opportunity to raise awareness among students and the wider public by incorporating the technology into an art exhibition.

The project, hosted at the Phoenix Art Space in Brighton, brought together established artists to create works that would be animated by the capabilities of the machine itself.

The Solution

Toshiba provided a Hybrid e-STUDIO5008LP multifunction printer for the exhibition, along with the technical support needed to integrate it into the artwork as envisaged by the artists. The Solution Design and Implementation team configured the machine with microphones to amplify its working sounds, and paper trays were removed so that printed pages would scatter onto the floor — creating maximum visual and auditory impact for visitors.

Assistants demonstrated the erasable printing process to onlookers: printed pages were fed back through the device, and the content was erased, allowing the paper to be reused. The cycle could be repeated multiple times with the same sheet.

The Results

Visitors were fascinated by the erasable process, describing it as magical and asking detailed questions about how it works, where the ink goes and how many times the paper can be reused.

More importantly, the artwork ignited broader conversations about green issues, paper waste, and the role of technology in changing printing habits. For a student audience that is already environmentally conscious, the demonstration made a compelling case for rethinking how printed materials are produced and consumed.

Dr Claire Makhlouf Carter described the technology as the way forward for universities and other organisations looking to reduce paper waste. She said she would not hesitate to recommend the Toshiba Hybrid MFP, noting its potential to save substantial amounts of money on paper usage while encouraging more thoughtful resource consumption.