Alterations

Slash and burn, rip and tear, cut and paste are not words typically associated with the technical practice of photography. But, when speaking of the art of collage, there are no rules—ephemera of any sort such as newspapers, magazines, ticket stubs, cigarette wrappers, torn book pages, maps, advertisements, and, of course, photographs are selected, arranged, and reassembled. Creating visually dynamic hybrids, artists convey new and powerful messages or ideas that expand on the original works. Originating out of the political outrage and detachment experienced by European artists following World War I, contemporary artists continue to push the boundaries of collage and enhance a picture’s original meaning, or twist entirely, as a means to report on social, emotional, historic and current events.

Alterations features the work of six artists, all living and working in the Pacific Northwest, whose work explores the relationship between photography and collage and its influence on our image-based world. From challenging stereotypes of women, to understanding our role in the destruction of our environment, to rebellion against political conservatism, these artists use collage to alter, challenge, and re-emphasize reality.