Dada Collage & Photomontage by Raoul Hausmann

Posted by: Kenneth Rougeau in Art & Artists, Art History, Collage, Mixed Media

Raoul Hausmann was one of the founding members of the Dada movement in Berlin. His artistic interests were varied and eclectic, including photomontage (which he claims to have invented), painting, collage, poetry, design, sculpture, a smattering of science, music, and more. Hausmann was a long-time partner to Hannah Höch, a fellow Dada artist with a passion & flair for incredible photomontages & collages.

In an article titled “Definition of Photomontage“, Hausmann explains the power and magic of photomontage is in “its contrast of structure and dimension, rough against smooth, aerial photograph against close-up, perspective against flat surface, the utmost technical flexibility and the most lucid formal dialectics are equally possible… The ability to manage the most striking contrasts, to the achievement of perfect states of equilibrium…ensures the medium a long and richly productive span of life…”

Raoul Hausmann‘s collages and montages combine a variety of mixed media & demonstrate his wild personality. “Everything he did was done with enthusiasm and often angry gallows humour,” say the fine folks at Cut And Paste, a history of photomontage.

collage / photomontage by Raoul Hausmann

"Art Critic" collage by Raoul Hausmann

A banned artist during World War II, Hausmann was frequently on the run & traveled extensively from Spain to Zurich, then to Prague, Paris, and finally Limoges where he settled and remained until his death in 1971.

For more artwork & information, visit
http://www.raoulhausmann.com/

Spread The Word!

Tags: Art, artistic interests, artists, artwork, banned, banned artist, Berlin, Collage, Collages, contrast structure and dimension, cut and paste, Dada, dada artist, dada movement, definition of photomontage, Design, gallows humor, hannah, Hannah HöCh, hausmann, history of photomontage, hoch, invented photo montage, Mixed Media, Music, perspective against flat surface, photo montage, photo montages, photomontage, photomontages, poetry, raoul, raoul hausmann, rough against smooth, Science, Sculpture, striking contrasts, wild personality, world war ii

No Comments

Jun

Silly & Surreal: The Collage Art of Kenneth Rougeau

Posted by: Charlotte Self in Art & Artists, Collage, Digital Art

"Offer Me Solutions"

Kenneth Rougeau composes creative collage constructions that are frequently surreal and sometimes downright silly. His first serious digital endeavor was to create a series of 18 fantasy images as illustrations for Alice In Wonderland by Lewis Carroll. Since then he has also created a second series based on Through The Looking Glass.

"Who Stole The Tarts?"

"A Quiet Hour"

Ken works primarily in the digital medium, as it allows the most freedom of expression, but he does thoroughly enjoy creating rough hewn, one-of-a-kind original paper & mixed media collages whenever he can. He’s recently been experimenting with a series of explorable “strata” collages which are essentially small altered art books that can be opened and examined, which he calls “de Composition” books because they are made from small, tattered & torn composition books which are covered with imagery.

"de Composition 3"

"Patience"

Ken’s most recent digital collage series, Ascensions, combines vintage anatomical images with fairy-like butterfly wings to create a sorrowfully evocative set of surrealistic scenes. He admits that the piece entitled Patience was in fact inspired “a bit by Salvador Dali & a bit by the Grateful Dead.” Arguably the most powerful piece in his Ascensions series, the Metamorphosis, seems to convey mankind’s changing and evolving, our desire to become more than we are, more than the sum of our parts. The image depicts an anatomical “angel” who has evolved beyond & removed his “outer layers” exposing his true self.

"Metamorphosis"

Ken’s humorous series of anthropomorphic collages give us a glimpse into an alternate universe in which English dandies become Dandy Lions , where a secretary bird sits, parasol in hand, to interview for a clerical position, and where raccoons rob people at gunpoint. Oh, and don’t miss Captain Kangaroo!

"Miss Secretary"

Kenneth Rougeau has created numerous other, non-serial digital collages as well. Many of his works are inspired by literature and music including Waiting For Godot, based on the Samuel Beckett play, and both Field Below & Apres Moi Le Deluge, inspired by the Regina Spektor songs of the same names.