Collage is a French word meaning to glue or stick together, and it usually refers to a two-dimensional composition made by assembling different forms into a new work. When this is done in three dimensions, it is generally referred to as an assemblage.

Usually a collage is composed of magazine and newspaper clippings, ribbons, paint, coloured paper, etc. Often a collection of found images, colour fields, and text.

Historically, it dates back to 100AD, originating in China, and in the 13th century, it was used in Japan by poets in a chigiri-e style of collage. In the 15th and 16th centuries, gold leaf was used on church panels. Although examples can be seen in the 18th century as well, it was in the 20th century that art critics suggested it emerged during the modernist period. If they are right, it emerged during the Cubist period and was practiced by Georges Braque, Pablo Picasso, and Kurt Schwitters.

There are other terms associated with collage: decoupage, the layering of cut materials to create depth; photomontage, the cutting and joining of photographs; and digital collage, created electronically. The term is also used in the field of architecture during the design process and in music, such as George Martin’s collaging of music when producing the Beatles’ music. In the film, the use of montage could be considered a form of collage.

Resources

• Kurt Schwitters, who is most famous for Merz Pictures, also known as collage