Brixton’s Tate Library will host an exhibition of collages throughout January. Leslie Manasseh met the curator Sam Dodson to talk about the medium and show.
Sam Dodson is very keen to highlight the unique elements of collage as distinct from painting. He believes that collage offers a very different medium and, far from being a poor relation artistically, enables the artist to create works which could only be produced by this technique.
He draws a parallel with sampling bits of music to create something new, and argues that using images which already exist gives his imagination more freedom and space to build complex forms using “impossible juxtaposition”.
The exhibition includes different examples of this technique as a way of giving an overview of various collage styles. Eight artists will be exhibiting in the show. They all belong to the Collagistes Collective – an organisation set up to celebrate and promote collage as a serious art form. There will also be some workshops during the show.
Curator Sam Dodson said: “In this exhibition I wanted to show the further read of collage, using some of my favourite collage artists to show the extremes of this art form.
“Hence the title ‘Cutting Edge’. The dictionary describes collage as ‘any collection of unrelated things’ but as one becomes involved in making a collage the images are on their own form and your imaginations is stretched beyond the norm. We hope this exhibition carries you to the ‘cutting edge’ of your imagination and all are welcome.”
Like many people, I suspect, I have never been fully convinced of collage as a genuine art form. But I think this show may change my mind. Definitely worth a visit.
The exhibition runs throughout January at Brixton library. Call 020 7926 1058 for opening times.
Opening night Friday 10 January 6-8pm.
Brixton Library Presents:
Collagistes Collective: ‘CUTTING EDGE’
3 – 31 January 2020
www.lambeth.gov.uk/places/brixton-library
Twitter: @brixtonlib
