17181 (_Look, child …_) 1932

John Elsas created this untitled collage, 17181 (_Look, child …_) around 1932. I’m really struck by the materiality of this work, the way Elsas layers scraps of printed paper to create this landscape and the two figures who inhabit it. I’m picturing the artist here, surrounded by piles of colorful papers, snipping and arranging, letting the figures emerge from the act of making itself. What was he thinking as he pieced together these forms? The brown figures, each wearing a patterned skirt and hat, are so graphic and stylized, almost like paper dolls, yet they’re placed in this strange and fantastical environment with gold and blue waves. The figure on the right points somewhere, maybe indicating that, like many artists, Elsas was also interested in pushing the boundaries of representation. Elsas's collage reminds me of the playfulness of Hannah Höch or the bold simplicity of Henri Matisse’s cut-outs. It also suggests an ongoing conversation about how we can use simple materials to create complex and evocative images. Ultimately, this artwork is a testament to the power of collage as a medium for storytelling and exploration, where ambiguity and multiple interpretations are not only embraced but celebrated.