Politics in Collage is a series of residencies, publications, discussions, and exhibitions examining complex socio-political issues that contemporary society is contending with, in order to spark meaningful dialogue and inspire deeper engagement.
PROJECT OVERVIEW
Collage as a political art form has a particular relevance to today as well as a strong historical context. From its roots in the European anti-facist and Russian revolutionary movements in the early 20th century to its expressions during the U.S. Civil Rights era to its current manifestations in the fight for social justice in South America, collage is used by artists around the world as an impetus for social and political change. Kolaj Magazine has reported on how collage was used to visualize the 2019-2021 Estallido Social in Chile which incidentally birthed a new collage community. In Fall 2021, Kolaj Institute organized a series of residencies in which artists explored the intersection of politics and collage.
Led by G.E. Vogt, the residencies produced a collection of artworks that debuted at Kolaj Fest New Orleans in 2022 as an exhibition at the Domino. In July 2022, Kolaj Institute released Politics in Collage, a book of artwork, and an Online Exhibition.
In November 2022, a third residency took place which resulted in a second book, Collage Saves The World.
In April 2024, the artist residency and exhibition “Collage the Planet: Environmentalism in Art” took place at Kolaj Institute Gallery in New Orleans.
CALLS TO ARTISTS
RESIDENCY
Politics in Collage 2025: Authoritarian Regime Survival Guide
A four-week, virtual/online Residency with Kolaj Institute
Sundays, 19 & 26 January and 2 & 9 February 2025
Early deadline to apply: Monday, 30 December 2024
Final deadline to apply: Sunday, 12 January 2025
Freedom House, “the oldest American organization devoted to the support and defense of democracy around the world…was formally established in New York in 1941 to promote American involvement in World War II and the fight against fascism.” In 2022, they issued a report on the state of global freedom and concluded, “Global freedom faces a dire threat. Around the world, the enemies of liberal democracy—a form of self-government in which human rights are recognized and every individual is entitled to equal treatment under law—are accelerating their attacks. Authoritarian regimes have become more effective at co-opting or circumventing the norms and institutions meant to support basic liberties, and at providing aid to others who wish to do the same.” What can collage artists do to counter rising authoritarianism?
During this residency, collage artists will work together to make artwork that responds to a global rise in authoritarianism. They will explore the history of political collage and its early 20th century roots in the European anti-facist movements. They will learn how to read and decode authoritarianism, to understand how it operates, and strategies for resisting or countering it. Discussions and presentations will center on how an artist can make work that picks up the unfinished work of history and contributes to the civic discourse.
Artists in the residency will work together to illustrate and elucidate The Authoritarian Regime Survival Guide. Based on the Polish experience, The Authoritarian Regime Survival Guide offers its readers information and tools for recognizing and resisting authoritarianism. In a clear series of lists, the Guide lays out what to expect in a society being led by an authoritarian regime, rules for surviving such a regime, and strategies for engaging with authoritarian supporters.
PROJECT HISTORY
FESTIVAL & EXHIBITION
Earth Day Celebration & Collage the Planet Exhibition
APRIL 2024
In honor of Earth Day 2024, Kolaj Institute hosted a series of events as part of The Recycle Challenge’s St. Claude Avenue Festival. On Saturday, 20 April 2024, members of the Mystic Krewe of Scissors & Glue and participants in the Collage the Planet Artist Residency joined The Recycle Challenge Parade as it passed by the corner of St. Claude and St. Roch Avenues. On Sunday, 21 April 2024, the opening reception took place for the exhibition, “Collage the Planet: Environmentalism in Art”.
RESIDENCY
Collage the Planet: Environmentalism in Art Artist Residency
APRIL 2024
The premise of the “Collage the Planet: Environmentalism in Art Artist Residency” is that science has the capacity to tell us how to care for the planet, but those solutions are meaningless if humanity doesn’t care enough to evolve and change. Art is a unique technology that can distill complexity into simple human gestures that, when experienced, facilitate a deeper understanding of our world. In short, art can be a tool for caring.
INSTITUTE NEWS
Kolaj Institute Partners with The Recycle Challenge
DECEMBER 2023
Kolaj Institute is excited to partner with Madera E. Rogers-Henry and the New Orleans non-profit, The Recycle Challenge. The Recycle Challenge “addresses a serious global need to reduce waste, and transform waste into viable products or vibrant works of art.”
ZINE
Collage Saves The World
JULY 2023
We are living in an explosively political time, faced with crises that are not only deepening individually, but becoming increasingly intersectional in relation to each other. There is a strong history of collage art being used to tackle complex socio-political issues during some of the most difficult eras, but how can it meet this moment and spark meaningful dialogues about our varied, contemporary issues? In November 2022, G. E. Vogt led twelve artists in a month-long virtual residency with the goal of creating work that examines complex socio-political issues that contemporary society is contending with, in order to spark meaningful dialogue and inspire deeper engagement. Each artist chose specific issues to explore through the medium of collage. Their artwork allows viewers an opportunity to reflect on various forms of racism, colorism, ableism, and sexism; the war in Ukraine; climate change and the importance of permaculture; beauty standards and women’s autonomy. Their work makes its way into the world in this book and as a traveling exhibition.
RESIDENCY
Politics in Collage Residency 2022
NOVEMBER 2022
Kolaj Institute is pleased to announce the twelve artists selected to participate in the 2022 Politics in Collage Residency. During the residency, they discussed the history of political collage and important political collage artists, explored how to curate and exhibit this crucial art form, and, most importantly, challenged themselves to push our own artistic practice further in the creation of political collage. Artists heard from a variety of guest speakers specializing in different aspects of this form. Through ongoing online discussions and regular collage exercises in between meetings, the artists learned how to articulate complex political subjects in their work and explored how to inspire engagement with difficult socio-political topics through collage.
Teresa HR Lane (Matauri Bay, Kaeo, New Zealand) | Amanda Lynch (Castle Cary, Somerset, England) | Anna Sellen (Aberaeron, Ceredigion, Wales) | Ava Paterson Werner (Los Osos, California, USA) | Diego Bexar (Missoula, Montana, USA) | KVSS Varshini (Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India) | Liz Aukamp LaGarde (Frederick, Maryland, USA) | Ginger Sisco-Cook (Paris, Texas, USA) | Kim Rae Taylor (West Palm Beach, Florida, USA) | Rachel Thomas (Southfield, Michigan, USA) | LaVonna Varnado-Brown (Kenner, Louisiana, USA) | Karina Walter (Charlotte, North Carolina, USA)
ONLINE EXHIBITION & BOOK
Politics in Collage
JULY 2022
In a time where the challenges facing us as individuals and communities have grown to seemingly insurmountable levels, further exacerbated by the increasing toxicity of the political climate, artists are using their work to confront these challenges by engaging their viewers in a higher level of discourse. Through a virtual residency, twenty-five artists created collage works examining complex socio-political issues that contemporary society is contending with, in order to spark meaningful dialogue and inspire deeper engagement.
Although the main thread running through Politics in Collage is “political” in its broadest definition, each artist chose specific issues to explore through the medium of collage. Their artwork allows viewers an opportunity to reflect on various forms of racism, ableism, sexism, and xenophobia; the consequences of colonization and capitalism; the effects of contemporary media; and the eco-grief or anxiety associated with climate change. By using collage, a form composed of juxtaposing a variety of disparate elements together, the artists are able to tell nuanced stories about their highly complex topics, inviting the viewers to regard a potentially overwrought issue from a fresh angle.
KOLAJ LIVE ONLINE
Politics in Collage Book & Exhibition Launch
JULY 2022
Kolaj Institute was joined by G.E Vogt, and four of the exhibiting artists—Phyllis Famiglietti (Massachusetts, USA), Mary Hope Lee (Phoenix, AZ), Alexander Helmintoller (Carlsbad, CA), Penny Mateer (Pennsylvania, USA), and Amanda Lynch (England, United Kingdom)—in a discussion surrounding the residency, their artwork, and the need for more complex works engaged in political dialogue.
ABOUT KOLAJ LIVE ONLINE
Kolaj LIVE Online is a series of virtual programs in the form of forums, panels, workshops, artist talks, studio visits, and other activities that allow people to come together, learn and talk about collage, and connect in real time to the collage community. Our goal is to bring the community together in a spirit of mutual support and fellowship.
Our Island from the series “Sri Lanka Then And Now” by Gayathiri Kamalakanthan
11.7″x8.5″; found paper, graph paper, tinsel, digital; 2021. Courtesy of the artist.
EXHIBITION
Politics in Collage Exhibition at Kolaj Fest New Orleans
JUNE & JULY 2022
at The Domino in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
14 June-20 July 2022
Opening Reception: 17 June 2022, 7-9PM
Politics in Collage Opening Reception, 7PM to 9PM at The Domino. This event will be an opening reception and book launch for the exhibition, Politics In Collage. Although the main thread running through this exhibition is “political” in its broadest definition, the artists each chose specific issues to explore through the medium of collage. There are examinations of various forms of racism, ableism, sexism, and xenophobia; the consequences of colonization and capitalism; the effects of contemporary media; and the eco-grief or anxiety associated with climate change. By using collage, a form composed of juxtaposing a variety of disparate elements together, the artists are able to tell nuanced stories about their highly complex topics, inviting the viewers to regard a potentially overwrought issue from a fresh angle.
“Collage as an art form, is ideally situated for this political work due to its inherent nature of distilling and juxtaposing various elements from the overload of information and sources we’re exposed to on a regular basis, into one cohesive story or statement. Collage allows us to make sense of increasingly complex and interconnected social & political subjects through this selected juxtaposition”
Liberty by Alexander Helmintoller
digital collage; 2020. Courtesy of the artist.
RESIDENCY
Politics in Collage Residency Round Two
NOVEMBER 2021
Kolaj Institute is pleased to announce the thirteen artists selected to participate in a second Politics in Collage Residency. In four virtual meetings over four weeks and through ongoing, online discussion, artists will examine contemporary social and political issues as shown through collage. Artists will hear from a variety of guest speakers about the historical context of this genre; how to articulate complex political subjects both in their work and in promotions of their work; and explore how we can continue to inspire meaningful engagement with difficult topics through collage.
Alexander Helmintoller (Carlsbad, CA) | Xxavier Carter (Dallas, TX) | Patricia Figueiredo (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) | Lilith Frakes (Ellensburg, WA) | Jenn Arras (New York, NY) | Simone Löhndorf (Lund, Sweden) | Carmen Angela Yandoc (Muntinlupa, Metro Manila, The Philippines) | Mori Anderson Hitchcock (Chester, PA) | Casey Rocheteau (Detroit, MI) | Dawn Conry (Phoenix, AZ) | Cathy Greenhalgh (London, England, United Kingdom) | Amanda Lynch (Castle Cary, Somerset, England) | Neha Luhar-Trice (Jacksonville, FL)
RESIDENCY
Politics in Collage Residency Round One
SEPTEMBER 2021
Kolaj Institute is pleased to announce the twelve artists selected to participate in the Politics in Collage Residency. Collage as a political art form has a particular relevance to today as well as a strong historical context. Artists will hear from a variety of guest speakers about the historical context of this genre; how to articulate complex political subjects both in their work and in promotions of their work; and explore how we can continue to inspire meaningful engagement with difficult topics through collage. Artists will conceptualize and begin work on a piece exploring a political or social subject of their choosing.
Nola Abboud (Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, England) | Jana Zimmer (Santa Barbara, CA) | Kike Congrains (Lima, Peru) | Phyllis Famiglietti (Brookline, MA) | Mary Hope Lee (Phoenix, AZ) | Jordan Fobbs (Goleta, CA) | Bryan Robertson (Prescott, AZ) | Emily Tironi (Cambridge, NY) | Gayathiri Kamalakanthan (London, England) | Stephanie Todhunter (Medford, MA) | Susana Belen (Thornton, NSW, Australia) | Penny Mateer (Pittsburgh, PA)