Kolaj is a quarterly, printed, 10″x8″ art magazine
featuring reviews and surveys of contemporary collage. The magazine takes an international perspective on collage as a medium, a genre, a community, and a 21st century art movement.
SUBSCRIBE OR ORDER A COPY
INSIDE THE ISSUE
In the issue Editorial, “To Take Joy in the Joy of Others“, Ric Kasini Kadour asks how does one stay optimistic “in the face of a world that is increasingly divisive and at odds with itself. How do we stay positive and move forward when the world feels like it’s turning into a steaming pile of…?”
In the issue’s round up of News & Notes, we report on a collage project in Nebraska, a collaborative risograph collage zine, and Kolaj Institute’s new board members, new home, artist residencies in New Orleans and Scotland; and a partnership with The Recycle Challenge. Big things are happening!
Helen Hartmann profiles Dutch artist Anna van der Putte in “Cherishing the Beauty of Ephemeral Objects”. Van der Putte’s assemblage, Yellow Stare Down, is on the cover. The artist notes, “The objects and materials seem to have a will of their own, and all I need to do is listen carefully.”
In “Migrating Forces,” Steve Bridgeman writes about how Charulata Prasada uses collage to explore culture, gender, and self. He writes, “Beyond the visual spectacle, Prasada’s work stands out for its audacious deviations. Particularly striking is her commentary on society’s standards of gender norms.”
“Preservation Stations” reports on how Mark Vargo won a grant to make a series of collage-themed public sculptures that celebrate wildlife in Northern California. “My House Too” reports on how Danielle Cole is using collage to engage youth with history.
Madeline Sorel shares her experience of the Kolaj Street Krewe Residency in New Orleans in “I Came for the Street Art, I Found a Community”. Anna Innocenti reflects on “the extraordinary impact of an artist residency” in “Evolving Collage Practice”.
We review The Comfort of Crows, a new book by The New York Times contributor Margaret Renkl, illustrated by collagist Billy Renkl.
In “Where Words Cannot,” Elizabeth Hazard considers S. Korey Steckle’s self expression through collage. Hazard writes, “The artistic process is where he believes he’s healing the part of his brain where past trauma from his birth and beginning years of life are stored.”
ARTIST PORTFOLIOS
Each issue of Kolaj Magazine features portfolios of contemporary artists alongside critical commentary as a means of developing a deeper understanding of collage as both a medium and a genre. To be considered, register with the Kolaj Magazine Artist Directory at www.kolajmagazine.com.
Mike McQuade
Richmond, Virginia, USA
“The neutral rectangle becomes a doomy harbinger of the future. Change is only brutal for those with something to lose.”
Alexandra Ackerman
Iowa City, Iowa, USA
“Fabric is a favorite material for me because it adds a tactile quality to a piece as well as evoking a sense of nostalgia.”
Samuel Fleming Lewis
Palm Springs, California, USA
“Collage has a unique quality of being able to time travel while imagining a distant past or a new future…When all of the elements come together as one, I feel the magic of collage.”
Caitlin Moline
Portland, Oregon, USA
“My collage making process is a ritual in self-care through the creation of found image narratives.”
Eduardo Martinez
Barcelona, Spain
“With elements as simple and economical as magazine clippings, old photos, textures, found objects or simply a modest computer, you can reinvent images or scenes of parallel worlds and authentic beauty.”