New Collages

Here are some new collages. I started working on them over my recent semester break, and have continued with them (when I have the time and energy) now that school has resumed.

My inspiration with these was my sorting through a large crate full of snapshots I’ve taken over the past twenty-five years or so. I started pulling out the photos not worth saving; poorly exposed or focused ones, blurry shots, boring photos, etc. After combing through the entire crate, I found I had a stack of at least a hundred prints, and decided to do something with them.

I rarely collage with original photos. I enjoy the influence of appropriation and recontextualization on content in collages, and that isn’t as evident in collages made from my own photos.

Knowing this, I decided I needed to set a couple of rules for myself to make these collages work. First, every collage I made had to include at least one original photo (or part of one). Second, these collages were to be simple, and overly complex compositions avoided. Third, I limited how I cut, preferring geometric shapes to cutting around the contours of objects. Lastly, I worked intuitively, not worrying about content or meaning and focusing entirely on composition and how the collages looked.

The first one I made is at the top of this post. I like this one quite a bit, although my partner referred to it as “Baldessari meets Mondrian”. I can see that, but I still like it.

I made a second, similar piece, and while I don’t hate it I’m not real happy with it:


For some reason I can’t put my finger on, it reminds me of the ‘80’s.

I went in a different direction for the third collage:


I like the idea here, but think this could be a little better. I wish it were a little neater, and the intuitive approach didn’t quite work. I want to think think this through some more before doing any more like it.

My next several collages are quite a bit more interesting and successful to me. I’ll post these in a couple of days.