What is Assemblage Art?
Unique Pins created using the assemblage process
Assemblage is an artistic process in which a three-dimensional artistic composition is made from putting together found objects.
As one is familiar with the word “assembly” might assume, assemblage is a form of sculpture comprised of found objects arranged in such a way that they create a “piece”. These objects can be anything organic or man-made. Scraps of wood, stones, old shoes, cans, and discarded baby buggy- or any of the other 81,000,000 items not mentioned by name- all qualify for inclusion in an assemblage. Whatever catches the artists eye, and fits properly in the composition to make a unified whole is fair game.
The origin of the art-form dates to the cubist constructions of Pablo Picasso c. 1912-1914. The origin of the word (in its artistic sense) can be traced back to the early 1950s, when Jean Dubuffet created a series of collages of butterfly wings, which he titled "assemblages d'empreintes". However, both Marcel Duchamp and Pablo Picasso had been working with found objects for many years prior to Dubuffet. They were not alone. Russian artist Vladimir Tatlin creates his "counter-reliefs" in the middle of 1910s. Alongside Tatlin, the earliest woman artist to try her hand at assemblage was Elsa von Freytag-Loringhoven, the Dada Baroness. In addition, one of the earliest and most prolific was Louise Nevelson, who began creating her sculptures from found pieces of wood in the late 1930s.
In 1961, the exhibition "The Art of Assemblage" was featured at the New York Museum of Modern Art. The exhibition showcased the work of early 20th century European artists such as Braque, Dubuffet, Marcel Duchamp, Picasso, and Kurt Schwitters alongside Americans Man Ray, Joseph Cornell and Robert Rauschenberg, and also included less well known American West Coast assemblage artists such as George Herms, Bruce Conner and Edward Kienholz. William C Seitz, the curator of the exhibition, described assemblages as being made up of preformed natural or manufactured materials, objects, or fragments not intended as art materials
Today, the genre encompasses everything from eco-friendly artwork to cheap recycled crafts or curious trash art. Few people however, are aware of just how amazingly creative this recycled art form can be at its very best. It is well recognized and receives some of the highest credits with-in the art community.
As one is familiar with the word “assembly” might assume, assemblage is a form of sculpture comprised of found objects arranged in such a way that they create a “piece”. These objects can be anything organic or man-made. Scraps of wood, stones, old shoes, cans, and discarded baby buggy- or any of the other 81,000,000 items not mentioned by name- all qualify for inclusion in an assemblage. Whatever catches the artists eye, and fits properly in the composition to make a unified whole is fair game.
The origin of the art-form dates to the cubist constructions of Pablo Picasso c. 1912-1914. The origin of the word (in its artistic sense) can be traced back to the early 1950s, when Jean Dubuffet created a series of collages of butterfly wings, which he titled "assemblages d'empreintes". However, both Marcel Duchamp and Pablo Picasso had been working with found objects for many years prior to Dubuffet. They were not alone. Russian artist Vladimir Tatlin creates his "counter-reliefs" in the middle of 1910s. Alongside Tatlin, the earliest woman artist to try her hand at assemblage was Elsa von Freytag-Loringhoven, the Dada Baroness. In addition, one of the earliest and most prolific was Louise Nevelson, who began creating her sculptures from found pieces of wood in the late 1930s.
In 1961, the exhibition "The Art of Assemblage" was featured at the New York Museum of Modern Art. The exhibition showcased the work of early 20th century European artists such as Braque, Dubuffet, Marcel Duchamp, Picasso, and Kurt Schwitters alongside Americans Man Ray, Joseph Cornell and Robert Rauschenberg, and also included less well known American West Coast assemblage artists such as George Herms, Bruce Conner and Edward Kienholz. William C Seitz, the curator of the exhibition, described assemblages as being made up of preformed natural or manufactured materials, objects, or fragments not intended as art materials
Today, the genre encompasses everything from eco-friendly artwork to cheap recycled crafts or curious trash art. Few people however, are aware of just how amazingly creative this recycled art form can be at its very best. It is well recognized and receives some of the highest credits with-in the art community.
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