Victoria Topping
One of the joys of collage as a medium is that the resulting image takes on the depth and meaning of the materials it uses. Whether thatβs archival prints, fashion magazines, or newspaper cuttings, every single choice made by the artist is a deliberate one. This is perhaps one of the reasons why Victoria Toppingβs work sings so much (weβre also big fans of her Grace Jones series). Topping often uses materials from her previous works, and in the work above β Mother Nature β she used only images of flowers that she had grown in her allotment, as a personal celebration of nature. Each collaged piece is deeply personal for the artist and holds in it something special. The materials become resonant throughout the process as well as in the final piece.
Rosanna Webster
You might well recognise visual artist Rosanna Websterβs work. She is hugely popular in the world of fashion and her work graces the covers of magazine and advertising campaigns full of bright young things. Dior, Givenchy and Nike are among her clients and itβs easy to see why her work attracts attention. Itβs striking and impactful, yet thereβs also a delicacy to it β florals feature heavily in her pieces. Nature plays a significant role in modern collage across a variety of artists β the theme of recreation is a common one. Websterβs work also graces the hardback edition of Edward St Aubynβs Double Blind, about three close friends during an extraordinary year of transformation.
Sharon Walters
In her ongoing series βSeeing Ourselvesβ, London-based artist Sharon Walters explores the underrepresentation of Black women and creates pieces that encourage βBlack women to take up spaceβ. Her mixed-media collages are created using images from womenβs magazines, as well as photographs that sheβs taken herself. Each new work depicts a Black woman and is a personal and public celebration of natural beauty and afro hair. Her provoking pieces reframe the visual role of Black women, and offers an alternative role of empowerment while at the same time questioning traditional beauty standards and oppression.
Olivia Pilling
Rather than sourcing different materials for her collages, Olivia Pilling creates her own. She starts by painting pieces of paper in different shades and uses those as her palette, letting herself be guided by the array of tones and brushstrokes that jump out at her. Then itβs a case of βmaking senseβ of each piece β a process that she likens to a jigsaw puzzle. As she cuts and builds her pieces, a depth and richness begins to form in her designs. The shadow and light that comes out in the layering is particularly noticeable on these red and white radishes.
Christine Hodson
Itβs not easy to make a popular landscape look fresh and modern, but Kent-based artist Christine Hodson really nails it. Her work really makes you like twice β at first it looks like itβs oil painting using heavy brushstrokes, but theyβre actually a mix of collage, pastel and oil paint. Theyβre placed over one another to create bold depictions of the Kentish coastline. With βelements of street art and punk ethicsβ, Hodsonβs unique method creates movement and richness, giving classic scenes like the white cliffs of Dover a brand new look.
Pull shapes: a cut above the rest | take a seat at Mimiβs table | multi-layered magazine | classic of the genre | fragments of avant-garde genius.
This weekend, Laura is going to the seaside and Sian is getting the sausages on for her first-ever barbecue. Like what we do? Buy us a cuppa.