The intuitive mind is a sacred gift and the rational mind is a faithful servant. We have created a society that honours the servant and has forgotten the gift. Albert Einstein
I found David Hockney’s observations about perspective and shadow being absent in Asian art but not really missed informative. He wonders about the origins of perspective and shadow in art, and suspects it has to have come from the lens. One simple technological intervention appears to have had a significant impact in painting, in certain cultures. Leaves me wonder what would have been created if there had not been this technological intervention. The need to create realistic images often for powerful people or institution, to some degree limiting the ability of artist to experiment. The result was art in many cases acting as an early camera.
When photographic technology became accurate and accessible people thought it would eventually supplant painting but this has not come to pass. Photography’s impact on painting in the end liberated art from this obligation to be realistic, allowing it be more emotional, experessive and experimental. There is more freedom to explore the abstraction that occurs when drawing or painting on a two dimensional surface; an exploration of their own unique visual language. In some ways growing closer to other art forms.
I believe with the advent of digital photography a similar transformation is beginning to emerge as smartphones are now creating and sharing billions of images everyday. Photographers have begun to leave the confines of documentation and visual accuracy and are experimenting in unique ways. The rising popularity of collaging photographs being a good example of this kind of trend, or photographic prints that present like paintings.
Collage by Phyllis SchwartzPhotograph by Phyllis Schwartz
My section of a 16 person 16 foot long panel. The complete collaboration will come together in an unveiling at the Metchosin ArtPod on Saturday July 4th, 2026 in the early afternoon, just prior to the Gala opening of the new exhibition called Collaboration: The Alchemy of Creating.
“We are standing on the rubble of the world that was.” “Seven percent of the world lives in a democracy.” “We live in the cult of the amateur.” “We are now going to commentary, but on top of news coverage.” “Your leaders are standing on platforms eaten by termites—until you fix the public information systems.” Maria Ressa
Berlin is a city of photography: not only is it one of the most photographed cities, but there are also plenty of photos to see here. Galleries and exhibition spaces such as the Fotografiska, the Helmut Newton Museum of Photography and the C/O Gallery dedicate numerous exhibitions to the subject of photography. EMOP, Germany’s largest photography festival, also takes place in Berlin every two years. And, of course, you can also capture yourself perfectly in the capital. We have compiled the top 11 destinations for photography enthusiasts here.
Riso Silkscreening
Digital art to analog silkscreen printing using the MiScreen A4 (8.27 × 11.69 inches).
An exhibition of the work produced by a group of thirteen international collage artists will take place on May 13th in the studio space at the GlogauAir artspace, Glogauer Str. 16 Berlin 10999 in Kreuzberg. Following the exhibition, a number of the artists will be giving workshops or talks on their techniques.
BerlinAge Workshops
Saturday, 9.5. 3pm Cut & Past the GlogauAIR with Miss Glueniverse Paste up is a form of street art in which designed paper elements are printed out and stuck up around the city. In a joint action as part of the Co-Create the City exhibition, the outer wall of the GlogauAIR Art Space will be decorated – led by Berlin collage and street art artist and member of Berlinpastup, Miss Gluniverse.
How do you co-create a city? How do you picture the world around you? What places feel like home, and what landscapes live only in your imagination? In this workshop, we’ll explore how landscapes can reflect mood, memory, and identity.
Using collage, you will create evocative landscapes from layers of paper, colour, texture, and found images. You can bring photos of meaningful places or select from the materials provided. No prior art experience is needed—just curiosity and a willingness to experiment. Phyllis Schwartz, born in Brooklyn, is a photographer, ceramicist, collage artist and author. Together with Edward Peck, she regularly creates art projects for communities. sassamatt.com
Friday, 15.5. 11 am Bettina Homann: How I see myself on the inside – collaged Self-Portraits How do you see yourself? Who are you? Is there someone you would rather be? Would you like to change your eye colour or your mindset? This workshop delves into the possibilities of self-exploration and self-expression in the form of collage. You can work with photos of yourself (please bring a selection with you) or freely. No prior knowledge is required. Berlinage founder is working as a collage artist and writer. She very interested in the ways in which collage facilitates self-exploration.
Friday, 15.5. 4 pm Ginger Sedlarova: The four sentence challenge Pick up your scissors and push your cut-and-paste limits with this versatile art-making experience! The Four-Sentence Challenge involves creating a piece of art in response to prompts. A hat with several sentences on slips of paper is passed around for each artist to select four. These sentences are both the constraint and the freedom to create a collage that tells the story inside those four slips of paper. This exercise encourages both creative thinking and introspection. Ginger Sedlarova is a collage artist, storyteller and accidental archivist from Burnaby, B.C., Canada. She creates vibrant, emotional paper-based landscapes of memory using imagery, texture and colour.
Saturday, 16.5., 11 pm Louise Liu: Guided tour of the Exhibition Collage artist and Berlin Collage Club founder Louise Liu guides visitors through the exhibition, giving them the opportunity to talk to the international artists and then create their own work at the large collage table. @berlincollageclub
Saturday, 16.5., 3 pm 1+1=¥ The Magic of Co-Creation In this workshop, psychologist, coach and leadership trainer Anna Homann invites you to experience the exciting possibilities that arise when you dare to leave your comfort zone and engage in a collaborative process. We tend to always approach things in the same way that seems ‘right’ to us. But it holds great opportunities for genuine innovation, when very different – perhaps even contradictory – ideas and temperaments come together. Beyond the familiar, the magic begins. This workshop is not about collage, but about the creative process in general.
The Contemporary Collage Magazine hosted a Collage Expedition in Berlin this year in May. The expedition was edited on May 10 with an exhibition of the work that was produced. It featured the work of thirteen contemporary artists created in one week using only materials found in Berlin. The studio exhibition was held in Prinzessinnenstudio, Prinzessinnenstrasse 16, 10969 Berlin.
Collage Expedition in Berlin
The next series of expeditions will be held in Newcastle-under-Lyme, UK, and I understand that after that there may be one planned for New York.
Miss Glueniverse, @berlinpasteup, led a paste-up party today. She is a member of the Berlin PasteUp group, a collective based here in Berlin. Their work aims to connect beyond the street art community and foster a sense of belonging through accessible art. They are guided by the principle that no space or person should be deprived of art or safety, so they create interventions rooted in solidarity and inclusion. Their members are as follows: @petit.agite, @textilestreetart, @miss_glueniverse, and @fritz_craut.
