One of the most intriguing aspects of collages is their unexpected possibility. Almost anything can go into the creation of a collage and one never quite knows the full extent of what might be encountered when visually exploring a collage. This uninhibited potential makes the creation and visual consumption of collages a constant adventure.
Another unique aspect of collage is dimensionality. Because collage is a coming together of many separate pieces into a new whole there exists the opportunity for layering and overlapping in ways that create depth. Sometimes the collage creates an illusion of depth through thoughtful juxtaposition of elements, but in many cases collage creates a tangible physical depth through the layering of pieces on top of each other. This physical sense of depth is akin to our everyday experience of depth in the world. We take up space and we move in the spaces in between the things that surround us - we expect and innately understand depth because we live in constant dimensional encounter with the world around us.
In the opposite vein there are also times when the collage technique is used to flatten a sense of depth. This can be seen in the collapsing of space between two or more elements and a merger of those elements into a new relationship and composition. This ability of collage compositions to flatten space jars our visual sensibilities, challenging our expectations and encouraging us to look at the relationship between things in new ways.
I like to carry these lessons of collage with me into my encounters with the world as a reminder to constantly look at the elements of life around me and investigate how moments, events and even people overlap and relate to each other in creative and unexpected ways. I also enjoy being on the lookout for found collages - collages that exist independently of intentional creation but are instead elements that, when encountered as a whole, come together into a visually pleasing composition. Found collages are another method of keeping me engaged in constantly looking at the world around me in new ways, seeing things for what they are and what they may become when joined in relationship with their surrounding context.
