Screen printing pioneer Michel Caza, who helped establish FESPA in 1961, passed away on 23rd May 2026 at the age of 90.

FESPA has confirmed the death of Michel Caza, one of the organisation’s founding figures, who passed away on 23rd May 2026 at the age of 90.

In 1961, Michel Caza became one of the eight founding board members of the FESPA federation. The organisation was established with the objectives of “sharing of knowledge of screen-printing, the establishment of close cooperation between screen-printers and suppliers and promotion of screen-printing in Europe”.

Caza continued serving on the FESPA Board until retiring from the role in 2014. He also held the position of FESPA President from 1996 to 1999 and again from 2000 to 2002 during a period of significant change for the federation. During his involvement with FESPA, he witnessed the organisation’s expansion into a global speciality printing community operating across nearly 40 countries.

FESPA President Daniel Sunderland said:
“Michel was an irrepressible innovator, passionate about the craft and creativity of screen printing. He believed wholeheartedly in the power to advance print by encouraging printers to share their knowledge and ideas generously with one another. His unshakeable belief in the power of community, collaboration and education was one the guiding principles on which FESPA was founded, and he played a fundamental role in the growth of our organisation and events over seven decades. Those principles are still the foundations of FESPA more than 60 years on, as expressed in our strapline – Connect. Inspire. Support. The global FESPA ‘family’ will never forget his contribution.”

Michel Caza first encountered screen printing while working a student job in Stockholm during the mid-1950s. The experience later developed into a long-term career in which he collaborated with artists including Salvador Dalí, Joan Miró, and Victor Vasarely.

Throughout his professional career, Caza owned a print business and authored multiple technical and art-related books and articles. He received more than 350 industry awards and conducted seminars, presentations, and workshops internationally, contributing to developments in printing practices through consultancy and education.

During the transition period when digital inkjet technologies emerged, many within the screen-printing sector viewed the changes as a challenge to traditional printing methods. Caza supported the adoption of digital printing technologies alongside screen printing, which later aligned with the launch of the FESPA Digital event in 2006.

Caza also worked on sustainability initiatives within the printing sector. In 2001, he authored Screen Printing: A Guide for a Clean Planet, which later evolved into the first FESPA Planet Friendly Guide and contributed to the federation’s sustainability-focused educational programmes.

He was also recognised within the industry for technical developments including the commercialisation of UV curing inks and super-fine halftone screen rulings.

In 2018, Michel Caza published Michel Caza: The Chameleon of Contemporary Art, documenting 55 years of work in fine art screen printing.

FESPA stated that additional information regarding tributes to Michel Caza will be shared through fespa.com and the organisation’s social media channels.