The art of assemblage, a captivating three-dimensional form closely akin to both collage and sculpture, involves the amalgamation of disparate, non-art materials in a multitude of ways, often employing string, wire, or glue to unite the elements. The origins of this genre of artistic expression are shrouded in debate, with luminaries such as Marcel Duchamp and Pablo Picasso frequently heralded as early pioneers. While Joseph Cornell is often lauded as “the pioneer of assemblage art,” the incorporation of discarded or disassembled objects into artistic endeavors dates back to the early 1900s.
Long before the French artist Jean Dubuffet coined the term “assemblage art” in the 1950s, the concept of arranging eclectic collections of objects had captivated the imagination of society’s elite. In the hallowed halls of history, “curiosity cabinets,” alternatively known as “accumulations and combines,” enjoyed a vogue among the aristocracy as far back as the 1500s. More recently, the evocative practice of assemblage art has been bestowed with an array of monikers, including “junk art,” “found art,” and even “trash art.”
At 97 years young, the venerable African American assemblage artist, Betye Saar, muses, “I’ve always considered myself a hunter and gatherer. I’m like a recycler, recycling the energy of the objects or interpreting what they are saying to each other to make my own statement.”
Saar, much like many of us, inherited a cherished collection of odds and ends from a beloved relative. Among these treasures were gloves, fans, lace, and brooches. Rather than relegating them to the forgotten corners of a cardboard box in the garage, never to see the light of day again, Saar seamlessly integrated them into what she dubbed “The Nostalgia Series” – artworks that served as poignant reflections of personal family history and cherished memories.
I love that my work stands on the shoulders of these innovative artists. Because I use clay, paint, decoupage and other techniques, my work is also considered “mixed-media”.