Modes et Travaux, 1942 1942

This collage from 1942, titled 'Modes et Travaux', made with paper and ink, feels so timely, like it was just made yesterday! It's anonymous, which I find so intriguing. You can imagine the artist cutting and pasting, maybe in a small, intimate studio, surrounded by fashion magazines. The layering feels intuitive, like they were arranging a puzzle, trying to fit all the pieces together. It's the same type of process I use when painting, a back-and-forth dance with the artwork! The colour palette is muted, a mix of grayscale images and faded sketches, which gives the work a vintage, nostalgic feel. But the composition is dynamic, full of energy, as if the artist were trying to capture the rhythm and movement of fashion. The bold juxtaposition of the images creates visual interest. I imagine the artist was deeply engaged with their materials. They might have been thinking about the relationship between image and text, fashion and identity, or even the role of art during wartime. It’s like they are having a conversation with all of us!