15″x20″; watercolor on paper; 2023. Courtesy of the artist
COLLAGE ON VIEW
Altered Logistics: Contemporary Collage and Appropriation Art
at the Dowd Gallery at the SUNY Cortland in Cortland, New York, USA
30 October-8 December 2023
For “Altered Logistics”, Maximo Tuja (The Weird Show) and D. Dominick Lombardi selected over 50 artists to represent a multinational overview of the state and the influence of collage in Contemporary Art. In thinking about the selection process, Lombardi primarily chose art and artists that push both the boundaries of what one sees as the theory of collage, while still maintaining a clear link to the basis of the genre. What is collage but an open, and at times random process built on the assembly of discordant pieces–a method of creatively juxtaposing visual elements that can be applied to all forms of expression from two dimensional art to filmmaking. For Lombardi, he looks for works of art that apply a fresh way of thinking and applying the “collective” theory of collage or assemblage, especially the types of images or narratives that seep through the filter of unconscious aesthetics in profound ways.
7.75″x13″; paper collage; 2023. Courtesy of the artist.
As Maximo Tuja understands it, collage is already much more than an artistic technique. In our present society, collage has long been embraced as a means of engaging with reality. From memes and social media feeds to music production, fashion, and even our own identities–which often comprise a blend of diverse elements drawn from various contexts–the collage mindset subtly permeates our lives. However, within the realm of art, definitions tend to resist change, and the concept of collage appears to be anchored in its past, predominantly associated with its glorious revolutionary beginnings.
13.75″x8.5″; paper collage; 2023. Courtesy of the artist.
In contemporary art, collage extends far beyond its historical context. When selecting artists for exhibitions or projects, Tuja explores the boundaries of collage as a medium, seeking its connections with other artistic practices that embrace the notions of appropriation and recontextualization, paying little attention to rigid labels and traditions. He is always drawn to that which lacks a definitive name and to the areas where definitions remain elastic and practice precedes discourse.
(text adapted from the essay “Altered Logistics: Contemporary Collage and Appropriation Art” by D. Dominick Lombardi and Maximo Tuja. Courtesy of the authors.)
INFORMATION
Dowd Gallery
106 Dowd Fine Arts Center
48 Graham Avenue
Cortland, New York 13045
(607) 753-4216
Hours:
Monday-Wednesday, 10AM-5:30PM
Thursday, 10AM-7PM
Friday, 10AM-5:30PM