Beyond the Surface: What is Collage?
- Audrey Alma Meyer
- 22 hours ago
- 4 min read
This post, unlike all my previous ones, will focus on the art of collage.
What really is collage?
It might seem straightforward to define, but in truth, it’s quite complex and intriguing.
Collage is the art of cutting out mostly paper-based elements and assembling them into a new visual composition. Through the selection, arrangement, and gluing of diverse shapes, colors, and images, a cohesive montage – a new composite whole is created.
In other words, collage is where layers of paper converge, paper meets paper, and the act of creation begins. Gathering and grouping fragments of pictures and images transforms into a process of assemblage, where creativity is virtually limitless.
Collage art is a realm where imagination takes the lead - paper cutouts unite to form something fresh, new, and often intangible, evoking emotion and even challenging our perceptions.
In fact, by definition, a collage can be as simple as two united images.
In Wallstreet (2022) the background shows an imposing Roman-style office building with bubbles rising in front of it. In the foreground, I’ve added only one image: a man jumping an unseen rope. Suspended in mid-air, he becomes as weightless and fleeting as the bubbles, giving the scene a sense of lightness and an elevated vibe.
How does collage engage our eye and our mind?
I’ve discovered five approaches, which I’ll explore below:
Discernment
In collage art, an image is not confined to its original context- it can be rotated or flipped, offering a completely different perspective. It’s a bit like looking through spread legs with your head upside down. Upside down, inside out, round and round - images can be reversed and inverted.
In other words, collage frees us from the constraints of single direction or the “law of attraction,” inviting us to shift our perception.
One interesting element in this collage, Tunnel (2023), is the man stepping onto a stair and sneaking into a narrow cubic space - from which no head, shoulders, or hands emerge from the other side, as one might expect. Instead, from a different angle, a single arm extends from the cube, ending in a clenched fist that meets another clenched fist. Another interesting detail is the visual discourse between these fists and the widespread hands- each expressing the same message in different ways: confinement, invisibility, and desperation.
Allegory
An allegory in collage art is a visual composition in which the combined images can symbolize a deeper idea or moral message. An allegorical collage uses alternative elements to represent a story, situation, or concept.
In the work, Burger King (2022), the layers of the hamburger appear as a sophisticated and extravagant hat atop the man’s head. It opens like an oyster, as if being extracted from its shell. The bald man hides most of his face, suggesting the difficulty of coming out –a process often marked by pain and vulnerability. His head emerges from a retro, globe-like Ball chair, evoking a semi-private space that both shields and exposes him.
Subtlety in a Trompe-l’oeil
Trompe l’oeil refers to a technique in which the artist creates illusionistic effects or skillfully arranges cut-outs to create depth or a new perspective.
Hybrid (2022) explores the delicate meeting of two figures, precisely at the bust, shoulder, and arm, creating an almost melting effect that forms a unified, sculpture-like figure.
The beauty of this convergence highlights the model’s graceful bearing, elegant cleavage, and upright posture.
Concatenation
With a rich pool of images, the collagist can create a series of interconnected elements.
Sometimes, images in a collage form a continuous thread of associations- like a domino effect - where each element connects to the preceding one, creating a visual chain.
The following collage, Carpaccio Slices (2021), presents a visual composition of diverse- and at times- unrelated shapes. The text serves as a steady backdrop, while a subtle dance unfolds through the cutting and placement of the elements. Rather than depicting a specific scene, it suggests a flowing sequence and a visual procession.
5. Substitution and Identity
Substitution refers to the intentional swapping of one element for another, while identity involves the inclusion of one or more specific elements to add layers of meaning.
In Hairdo (2021), the bundle of wooden chunks becomes part of the mannequin’s long, lush hair. Positioned by her side like a sturdy column, they help maintain her upright posture. At the same time, the material highlights the contrast between the solidity of the wood and the lightness and transparency of her dress - adding a striking sense of volume. Above the staircase, an unlikely suspension adds to the surreal composition.
Ultimately, creating collage is an exercise in thinking and working “out of the box.” The collagist is constantly searching for parallels or contrasts, continuity or interruption, order or chaos, sincerity or irony, harmony or dissonance.
As a result, collage art often leans toward characteristics of surrealism, such as dream imagery, dislocation of reality, illogical constellation, symbolism, and deconstruction.
Collage art invites us to become free spirits, a bit like free skydivers. Skydiving is unpredictable and full of challenges. One moment you’re gliding smoothly; the next, the wind shifts, and you realize you’re no longer steering. Collage brings excitement to new angles and identities, breathing a renaissance into existing images.
The experience is all-encompassing, much like in Free Map Diving (2020), in which speed, oblivion, ambiguity, paradox, and enigma unfold across maps.
Indeed, just as the collage artist dives into a sea of cut-outs, trusting her instincts during trial, layering, and juxtaposition, the skydiver seeks strong situational awareness, adaptability, and the ability to maneuver. However, both the skydiver and the collagist are actually brave navigators of open space, moving through each stage with intention, intuition, and trust in the unknown.
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