RESIDENCY UPDATE
Making, Taking, Finding, Cutting: Material Explorations at the Intersection of Photography and Collage
A month-long, virtual/online collage artist residency in April & May 2026
Working from the forthcoming book, Pictures at the Intersection, which was the result of Kolaj Institute’s two-year exploration of the intersection of photography and collage, in this residency, artists considered the material nature of the photograph, how it is made, how it is used in collage, and how to make a connection between the material and the story of the artwork. Artists developed strategies for making and collaging photographs that tell complex stories and offered the possibility for deeper impact and engagement with the viewers. The residency unfolded through a series of presentations that are followed by collage making activities, the results of which were presented to the group. Presentations spoke to the history of photography of collage and spotlit examples of contemporary artist practice. We considered the differences between film and digital photography; what it means to collage with darkroom prints, digital prints, or found photographs; and how an artist can create their own material archive. Through collage making activities, artists explored self-portraiture, fragment making, locative collage, and photographing collage in the wild. Artists learned how to develop context for their artwork and reflected on the role of photography in their larger artist practice.
Artists were prepared to take photographs, print them, and document their collage so that it could be shared with the group. Strategies for doing so were discussed in the first session.
Artists in the residency were invited to exhibit artwork in the exhibition, “Light on Cut Paper: Photography & Collage,” at the New Orleans Photo Alliance Gallery in June 2026 and to submit artwork for an exhibition at Kolaj Institute Gallery in New Orleans in December 2026.
The residency was led by Ric Kasini Kadour, Director of Kolaj Institute and a 2020-2021 Curatorial Fellow of The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, and produced in partnership with the New Orleans Photo Alliance.
PARTICIPATING ARTISTS
21″x17″; magazines, photographs, Polaroids; 2023. Courtesy of the artist.
Amanda Olivia Woolery, Oakland, California, USA
2048 px x 2048 px; digital collage; 2025. Courtesy of the artist.
Anniston Smith, Washington, DC, USA
INSTAGRAM
29.5″x21.6″; found papers on watercolor paper; 2026. Courtesy of the artist.
Donna Caffrey, Lavington, New South Wales, Australia
www.donnacaffrey.com
dimensions variable; cyanotype and thread on paper; 2026. Courtesy of the artist.
Jennica Drice, Brooklyn, New York, USA
www.jennicadrice.com
Courtesy of the artist.
Jessica Brackman, Falls Village, Connecticut, USA
INSTAGRAM
16″x20″; paper; 2026. Courtesy of the artist.
Liz Santulli, Alexandria, Virginia, USA
9″x17″; analogue collage; 2023. Courtesy of the artist.
Lori Petchers, Fairfield, Connecticut, USA
www.loripetchers.com
Courtesy of the artist.
Sasha-Kay Nicole, Kingston, Jamaica
5″x10″; digital photography; 2025. Courtesy of the artist.
Shannon Nahara, La Plata, Missouri, USA
www.shannonnahara.com
ABOUT THE FACULTY AND ORGANIZERS
Ric Kasini Kadour
Ric Kasini Kadour is a writer, artist, publisher, and cultural worker. He maintains an active art practice and his photography, collage, and sculpture have been exhibited in and are part of private collections in North America, Australia, and Europe. He was the recipient of a 2020-2021 Curatorial Fellowship from The Andy Warhol Foundation for Visual Arts. He is interested in the role of art in the community and how art can impact communities. He is also interested in the role of art in people’s lives and believes contemporary regionalism is a means for rebuilding society’s relationship with art. His practice includes community organizing, curating, writing, publishing, and art making. He has curated exhibitions in galleries, museums and art venues in the US, Canada, Ireland, and the United Kingdom. His most recent curatorial work includes “Artists in the Archives” at The Henry Sheldon Museum of Vermont History (September 2022-January 2023) and “Mythical Landscapes: Secrets of the Vale” at the Knoxville Museum of Art in Tennessee (March-May 2023), as well as six exhibitions in 2024 and five in 2025 at the Kolaj Institute Gallery in New Orleans, of which Kadour is the director, including “Pictures at the Intersection of Photography & Collage” (December 2025-January 2026) and “Camera & Collage” (November 2024-January 2025). Kadour holds a BA in Comparative Religion from the University of Vermont. www.rickasinikadour.com
New Orleans Photo Alliance
The mission of the New Orleans Photo Alliance (NOPA) is to encourage the understanding and appreciation of photography through exhibitions, opportunities, and educational programs. They operate a darkroom, gallery and studio/event space. NOPA produces PhotoNOLA, the Festival of Photography in New Orleans, in partnership with museums, galleries, and venues citywide. Showcasing work by photographers near and far, the festival includes exhibitions, workshops, lectures, a portfolio review, and more. Learn more at www.neworleansphotoalliance.org and www.photonola.org.
Kolaj Institute
The mission of Kolaj Institute is to support artists, curators, and writers who seek to study, document, & disseminate ideas that deepen our understanding of collage as a medium, a genre, a community, and a 21st century movement. We operate a number of initiatives meant to bring together community, investigate critical issues, and raise collage’s standing in the art world. www.kolajinstitute.org