Untitled 

This is an undated collage by Katrien De Blauwer, made from found paper. The artist cuts and reassembles photographs to create unsettling juxtapositions. The original images are black and white, with an additional band of red added in. De Blauwer engages with a history of collage that goes back to the early 20th century, when artists began incorporating everyday materials into their work. Here, the work’s material influences its appearance, particularly the visible seams where the different pieces of paper meet. This reveals the artist’s hand and highlights the element of chance involved in the process. The techniques are simple, but the effect is complex. De Blauwer challenges the traditional idea of photography as a purely representational medium. She does so by imbuing her work with a sense of mystery and ambiguity. She treats paper not just as a surface, but as a material with its own inherent qualities. This invites us to reconsider the line between fine art and the crafts of cutting and pasting.