Cuts & Glue: We Are All Collages (May 19)

Dates: May, 19, 2024

Meetings: Sunday, 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM CST

Location: Houston Center for Photography

Cost: $95 Tuition + $20 Materials (HCP members receive a 10% discount)

Instructor: Tay Butler

Skill Level: Open to All Levels

Romare Bearden, considered the pioneer of contemporary collage, was instrumental in reintroducing collage as “fine art” by aligning the aesthetics of the medium with the material conditions of his community. “To be Black, is to be a collage”, as he was quoted, referencing the numerous sources that tend to comprise the average Black American. This is not at all exclusive to people of African descent; we are all “collages”, he would go on to say. 

In this workshop, instructor and artist Tay Butler demonstrates this art and real-world connection, using scholarship by and about Romare Bearden, and collage techniques most pertinent to his ideas. Participants will receive handmade zines outlining the concepts, methodology, and material needed to make their own collages with Bearden’s ideas in mind. In a hands-on environment, each participant will leave with their permanent collage, attempting to display their collagic existence through visual art.

Objectives:

• Understand the ideas of Romare Bearden and the specific methods he employed 

• Engage with contemporary methods of collage-making 

• Explore personal histories through photo and/or personal writings 

• Create one permanent collage to take home

Prerequisites: None

Course Prep: Come prepared to be transparent!