Kolaj Street Krewe is a series of residencies, publications, articles, and discussions that explores the role of collage in street art as a practice and phenomenon.
PROJECT OVERVIEW
Kolaj Magazine has sustained an interest in street art as a practice and as a means of artistic diffusion. In Kolaj 5, Claudia Eve Beauchesne reported on how Brooklyn artist DAIN often pastes the heads of his women onto the body of a man, creating androgynous characters that transcend gender stereotypes. Sofia Misenheimer wrote in Kolaj 22 about the ephemeral collages of Lilyluciole emblazoned on the walls of Paris and how they compel viewers to acknowledge the dignity and strength of “hidden” women in the city. Kolaj 31 included an Artist Portfolio of Chilean street artist Caiozzama, who pastes his provocative, satirical collages across Latin America, often using the street scene as a frame for his work.
The anonymity sometimes demanded of street artists can make it challenging to follow their progress and report on their activities. A number of artists acknowledge a street art practice, but may be reluctant to speak about it out of fear of reprisal or because the art they make for the street is different than the art they make for a gallery.
Kolaj Street Krewe, an informal group of artists interested in this subject, explores the role of collage in street art as a practice and phenomenon. The group formed out of a chance meeting of FANCLUB13, Rosie Schinners, and Laurie O’Brien at Kolaj Fest New Orleans in 2018. Realizing the three of them shared an interest in collage street art, they decided to form a group and pitch a project at Kolaj Fest New Orleans in 2019. During COVID-19, the Krewe led a forum as part of Kolaj LIVE Online which resulted in a Call to Artists. This history is documented in the book, Wallflowers: Collage as Street Art. Today, the project manifests as residencies, presentations, articles, and publications.
If you are interested in joining the Kolaj Street Krewe or learning more, we encourage you to join the Kolaj Street Krewe Facebook Page or send an email letting us know about your interest.
Current Activities
RESIDENCY
Collage as Street Art Residency – New Orleans 2024
A week-long, in-person residency that coincides with Kolaj Fest New Orleans (12-16 June 2024), during which artists will explore the city, learn about the history and materials of street art, and make artwork for public display that Kolaj Fest attendees and New Orleanians will be able to view. Artists will arrive in New Orleans on the Sunday before Kolaj Fest begins and will spend those days coming together to learn about the work and methods of several established artists and discuss new techniques and strategies, with topics such as Placement, Materials, Visibility, Message, and Legality. Once Kolaj Fest starts, the artists in this residency will be let loose from the formal sessions and encouraged to participate in Kolaj Fest programming while also keeping an eye out for street art opportunities.
ZINE
Collage Street Art: New Orleans
What happens when you take collage to where the people are? Kolaj Street Krewe is an international group of artists exploring the role of collage in street art as a practice and phenomenon since 2018. In June 2023, a dozen artists gathered in New Orleans for a week-long, in-person artist residency. This zine is a document of what they made.
Featured artists include: Meghan Larimer (Brooklyn, New York, USA), Aisha Shillingford (Brooklyn, New York, USA), Erica Bryant (Rochester, New York, USA), Kristina Corre (Ottawa, Ontario, Canada), Yazmin “Yazz” Atmore (Denver, Colorado, USA), LaVonna Varnado-Brown (Kenner, Louisiana, USA), William Wallace III (Columbia, Missouri, USA), Melissa Sutherland Moss (Brooklyn, New York, USA), Re Howse (New Orleans, Louisiana, USA), Madeline Sorel (Brooklyn, New York, USA), FANCLUB13 (Clearwater, Florida, USA), and Rosie Schinners (Salt Spring Island, British Columbia, Canada).
Past Activities
Wallflowers: Collage as Street Art
Wallflowers: Collage as Street Art explores the intersection of collage and street art. Christopher Kurts recalls the formation of the Kolaj Street Krewe from its creation at Kolaj Fest New Orleans to a guerilla art project during the COVID-19 pandemic to an artist residency for Street Artists. The book contains examples of collage as street art by twenty-four artists from eight countries. Christopher Kurts explains the title, “Wallflower is often used to describe someone shy or awkward, standing at the edge of things, not participating. But we’re turning that on its head and drawing the solitary artist out from their secluded studio and onto the street. These flowers are blossoming in full view.” An introduction by Ric Kasini Kadour situates collage in the history of street art. LEARN MORE
Collage as Street Art Residency: New Orleans
June 2023
A week-long, in-person residency that coincides with Kolaj Fest New Orleans (7-11 June 2023), during which artists will explore the city, learn about the history and materials of street art, and make artwork for public display that Kolaj Fest attendees and New Orleanians will be able to view.
Book Launch: Wallflowers: Collage as Street Art
January 2023
Sunday, January 22nd, 2023. A new book from Kolaj Institute explores the intersection of collage and street art and recalls the formation of the Kolaj Street Krewe from its creation at Kolaj Fest New Orleans to a guerilla art project during the COVID-19 pandemic to an artist residency for Street Artists.
Collage as Street Art Residency
July 2021
Fourteen artists participated in the Collage as Street Art Residency, a four-week, project-driven collage residency, where artists delved into the history, methods and major artists of the “street art” movement with a particular emphasis on collage. Participants endeavored to put some of those methods into practice, taking their collage art out into the streets. Documenting the entire process, the resulting work will be published in a book by Kolaj Institute. Leading the residency was Lance Rothstein, aka FANCLUB 13, who has been creating street art for over twenty years.
Public Space, Street Art, & Collage: Kolaj Street Krewe
July 2020
Thursday, July 30th, 2020. What is the role of collage in street art? Rosie Schinners and FANCLUB13 presented a history and contemporary survey and invite others to consider the art practice.