What is Collage?

Collage is a fine art form that involves assembling different materials - paper, fabric, photographs, found objects - into a unified composition. It breaks traditional boundaries of painting and drawing by incorporating real-world elements, often pulling from mass media or everyday life.

What sets collage apart is its ability to juxtapose. Artists use it to create contrast, irony, or unexpected harmony. A ripped magazine ad next to a classical painting fragment can say more about culture and conflict than either could alone. This gives collage a unique voice in political, social and personal commentary.

Historically, collage became a formal art form in the early 20th century. Picasso and Braque used it in cubism, adding newspaper or wallpaper to their canvases. Later, surrealists pushed it further - cutting, pasting and challenging ideas of originality.