AT KOLAJ FEST NEW ORLEANS
Spotlight on Marie Conigliaro
For Marie Conigliaro, collage is a depiction of the fragmented nature of the world we live in, but also of its togetherness. “Different and disjointed elements of this world and beyond can be brought together as one through this medium,” observed the artist. There are rich layers of playfulness and irony in her work and the way she recontextualizes the ephemera of old into something arresting and new.
From Denver, Colorado, Conigliaro is attending Kolaj Fest New Orleans because she would “like to say hello and I’d love to compare notes. I am interested in hearing other’s experiences because I don’t often run into too many people who do what I do. It’s difficult to have these sorts of conversations over social media platforms, despite it being the easiest way to connect with other makers.” At Kolaj Fest New Orleans, Conigliaro is one of the artists featured in “Why Is That Dinosaur Holding a Vacuum & Other Stories from the World of Collage,” an evening of live interviews, storytelling, and collage art.
Kolaj Fest New Orleans is a multi-day festival and symposium about contemporary collage and its role in art, culture, and society, July 12-15, 2018. Visit the website to learn more, see an overview of the program, and register to attend.
Conigliaro’s juxtaposition of images is a direct expression of the duality often experienced in day-to-day life. A vital part of the human condition is the feeling of existing within multiple realities, with the capacity to encounter seemingly contradictory emotions, ideas or attitudes simultaneously. Such is the draw of surrealism, and artists such as Hieronymus Bosch or Pieter Bruegel, as they offer imagery and fantasy of an antiqued, dreamlike quality that left a definite impression on a young Marie.
Although she rarely sets out to produce specific artwork, thematic threads inevitably emerge. Space and nature themes provide a natural, organic familiarity, while vintage elements spawn pieces of art with an aged look and feel; again, reclaiming something old and evolving it into something simplified and modern (yet another expression of duality and the transformation from one state to another). “Relying mainly on my intuition, or the feel of the piece, she assimilates various elements to create an image that resonates with her in the moment. Often the results are simple and quirky, but sometimes they contain a more sober, philosophical undertone. Either way, the work is complete when a strong connection is made with the image created.
Kolaj Fest New Orleans is a multi-day festival and symposium about contemporary collage and its role in art, culture, and society, July 12-15, 2018. Visit the website to learn more, see an overview of the program, and register to attend.
About Marie Conigliaro
Marie Conigliaro holds a degree cum laude in Interior Design from Paier College of Art. Her work has been featured in Nue Magazine, Birdy Magazine, Suspect Press, Barf Magazine, Women in Art 278 and Cultural Dissection Magazine. Additionally, her work has been featured on Society6’s Curated Six Pack and Ello’s Curated Collage and Art categories. See more of her work on Instagram.
Images (top to bottom):
Snake (10″x10″ framed)
Fruity (12″x12″ framed; hand-cut, analogue collage on Bienfang Artist paper; 2017)
Gut Flora (14″x11″ framed)