At the Threshold

Rusted Gold by Kim Berman
digital collage

COLLAGE ON VIEW

At the Threshold

at the Durón Gallery at SPARC in Venice, California, USA
25 January-31 March 2025

Kolaj Magazine asked Los Angeles Printmaking Society President Karen Fiorito about the similarities between collage and printmaking. She wrote:

Printmaking is similar to collage in that both techniques involve assembling different elements to create a new image by combining various pieces, often from disparate sources, to form a cohesive whole, with the key difference being that in printmaking, the elements are transferred onto a surface using a printing matrix, while in collage, elements are physically glued together on a base material like paper. 

Bring a Folding Chair by Karen Fiorito
digital collage

(However, there are times when printmakers…employ chine collé, a special printmaking technique in which paper of a different color or texture is adhered to the overall piece. The overall effect is that the paper is actually bonded, not just glued, to the print. It can, at times, look like it is embossed. Chine collé roughly translates from French as “chine”= tissue, and “collé” = glue or paste.)

The layering of the printmaking process and the production of multiples from a single matrix is the foundation of printmaking. The multiple layers in these works depict the multiple meanings in which we celebrate beautiful and complex meanings of our reality. 

Poli(tics) by Heidi Mielke
image layering

Key similarities between printmaking and collage:

  • Combining parts to create a new whole: Both practices involve taking smaller pieces (like printed elements in printmaking or cut paper in collage) and arranging them to create a new image.
  • Layering and juxtaposition: Artists can layer different elements on top of each other in both printmaking and collage, creating depth and visual interest through the arrangement of various pieces.
  • Potential for mixed media: Both techniques can incorporate diverse materials like fabric, found objects, and textures, allowing for mixed media approaches.
  • Compositional decisions: In both mediums, the artist makes choices about placement and arrangement of elements to achieve a desired visual impact. 

(This exhibition is a presentation of the Los Angeles Printmaking Society)


INFORMATION

Durón Gallery at SPARC
685 North Venice Boulevard
Venice, California 90291 USA
(310) 822-9560

Hours:
Tuesday-Friday, 11AM-5PM

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