OM.2012.159-160 - Kareem Rizk - Australia
http://kareemrizk.com
Statement on Collage
For me, collage is very much about collecting. The ritual of collecting is sometimes the most enjoyable part of
the process. I think every collage artist is a collector - whether they collect tactile materials or whether they
collect ideas and references in their mind. I feel that the act of collecting becomes a very necessary part of the process.
I collect many kinds of paper, images, ephemera, magazines, books, textures, typography, patterns and all
forms of design elements including lines, dots, shapes and ornamental/decorative graphics. Whenever I find an old press publication, an old image or an old discarded piece of coloured paper I am almost always thinking about how it could be used in a different context in my art. It’s an opportunity to make something new and intriguing which didn’t exist before and often from scraps and salvaged materials.
The act of piecing together a collage for me has a lot to do with intuition and spontaneity, but it can also be
very meditative. For many collagists who do not sketch or design a composition, the final result is entirely
dependent on what moves are made during the construction of the artwork. I feel that allowing your intuition
and allowing for a certain level of spontaneity to take its course is something that comes very naturally when it comes to working with a medium that is very changeable.
I’ve been making collage and mixed media art for nearly 7 years. When I first began making art it was simply a creative outlet and a relief from my job in corporate design. I never imagined that one day I would be pursuing a career in a field that I was never officially trained to do. But for me it made perfectly good sense. I don’t believe that a person needs to be trained to be a good collage artist. In fact, there are many aspects of good collage making that I believe cannot be taught – but only experienced or felt. I believe it’s something that comes from within.
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