Collage, as told by experts.

What is
collage?

Merriam-Webster defines "collage" as "an artistic composition made of various materials (such as paper, cloth, or wood) glued on a surface." Additional definitions include "a creative work that resembles such a composition in incorporating various materials or elements" and "the art of making collages." In keeping with my hobbyist's motto of learning by doing, below is a video of an artist describing her collage process.

Artist Helina Metaferia for the Museum of Modern Art

So far, it's not my preference to plan things out beforehand.

see ruminations

The Concepts of Collage

Collage is an artistic medium with many incorporated concepts. While some artists use exclusively photographs in their collage making, some supplement with other multimedia, and others, even, use textile, opting for a texture based approach to the craft. To that end, to say collage represents the combination of existing media into new media isn't entirely accurate. Collage often features original additions drawn, painted, or otherwise embellished among the sampled inclusions. It's not only the work of a collector, but the transformation of the ordinary.

"Collage allows the opening up of conscious, which is very direct... it's also a way of looking at what you are consuming all the time." – John Stezaker

colorful collage of Lucille Ball against breakfast food with Minnie Mouse

Sir Eduardo Paolozzi
“Meet the People” (1948)
© The estate of Eduardo Paolozzi
Courtesy of the Tate Modern Museum

Papier Collé

A French term which translates to "pasted paper" and is a specific method of creating a collage. London's Tate Modern Museum describes this method of collage as "closer to drawing than painting." The Picasso below is an example of this concept.

Montage

An intentional combination of images (which may or may not be photographs) to create a broader image, often of a cohesive subject. These may resemble still life or mural art. The Hamilton below is an example of this concept.

Dadaism

An art movement formed in Zurich during the First World War which often featured collage-like reassemblies or works of propoganda in order to create an anti-war sentiment. The Hausmann below is an example of this concept.

Take a look below at some of the great examples of collage.

Works sampled from the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York City, New York, and the Tate Modern Museum (Tate) in London, England. Kudos to those incredible institutions for contributions to my research.