The technique of collage fits perfectly into our
current age. Raw visual material is collected by an
artist and then combined in such a way as to abstract
the individual elements enough that the artist's own
vision becomes prominent. Because collage s references
range from other artistic works and techniques to
scientific images, pop culture, and erotica, these raw
materials reflect humanity's collective visual memory
and context. It's collage's broad scope and irreverence
that make this technique so interesting for both artist
and audience. So it comes as no surprise that a lively
scene has developed around contemporary collage in the
last few years. Our book Cutting Edges was the first to
document work by this scene, which has continued to
expand the possibilities of the genre. Beyond the
lowbrow movement, which brings a fresh perspective to
figurative surrealism, more and more established artists
are now embracing this medium. Their work bridges the
historical gap between the classic pioneers of the
technique from the 1920s and today's vanguard of
contemporary collage. Showcasing outstanding current
artwork and artists, The Age of Collage is a striking
documentation of this new appetite for destructive
construction. The book also takes an insightful
behind-the-scenes look at those working with this
interdisciplinary and cross-media approach. While
illustration, painting, and photography continue to
fundamentally influence collage, the featured work also
plays with elements of abstraction, constructivism,
surrealism, and dada. Collage gives artists more room to
stake out diverse artistic positions than almost any
other existing technique. Through confident cuts,
brushstrokes, mouse clicks, or pasting, collage gives
the impossible a tangible form while turning our
worldview on its head along the way. In their visual
confrontation with reality in our digital age, which has
already made geographic, temporal, and artistic
boundaries obsolete, these artists celebrate and
exaggerate simultaneousness.
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