I had to acquire a taste for photo collages with clearly defined borders. I always thought that that the mattes with 12 different cut out shapes to place family photos was practical in purpose, yet the combination did not do any particular photo justice. I am still a little reticent to choose pre cut templates as a first choice in presentation, yet it did lead me to an area of photographic expression that deserves a little more attention. The technique and theory behind disparate image collage is self developed and one that is growing.
I always have said that best art technique is like the best camera. It is the one that you have with you most of the time. Notice I am not saying best camera equals best photograph, it merely is stating that best equals availability. Disparate Image Collage is like that, there are numerous tools ( programs and apps) that allow a person to create boxes within a box that can be be done quickly and with a certain aesthetic appeal.
What I am most intrigued by is the relationship of unlike images and how the mind kicks into gear and works hard at making sense out of images that have no connection. I believe deeply in the irreverent and abstract tradition that is in art yet I feel that like a Rorschach test the human mind desires to make sense out of ambiguity. The spiders legs have an uncanny resemblance to the stems off shooting from the flower. As for the American flag and the Tarpon, what could be more patriotic than fishing! A crab has armor like a tank and tanks have engines like the top of a 1926 Henderson Motorcycle. They all relate is some way. The teeth of a predator fish look in many respects like the jagged precipices of a Clyfford Still painting. In this same collage, black and blue creates it own unmistakable symmetry.
Things, images, constructs begin to take on traits of those visual entities that share a geographic proximity. It is easy to create this art and based on random statistical analysis the possibility of another artist creating a combination close to yours is slim to none. It is like being a artist, a curator, and art critic all in one, especially when you are critiquing your own anonymous work. Disparate Image collage, you heard it here first! Have a wonderful week folks, see you next Thursday.