Jacques Villeglé was an artist best known for his large collages made from found posters and advertisements. The resulting images are rich with depth and texture. Snippets of text, illustrations and photographs blend together through many layers allowing a small glimpse into the original source material.
Villeglé was a part of the Nouveau Réalisme art group, a group focused on "new ways of perceiving the real". The group formed in 1960 and originally consisted of nine members including notable painter, Yves Klein. They were joined by a few others in 1961 and the group eventually dissolved in 1970.
These collages are captivating because there is simply so much to look at. Many of these collages were also monumental in size, with every square inch of the canvas bombarding the viewer with imagery. I'd image a quite immersive experience when viewing the work in person.
These works exist within a unique space between fine art and design. The original source material exists within the design realm, but their application to the canvas elevates them into the realm of fine art. As someone who is only recently learning to appreciate design, I think these works help bridge the gap between the disciplines in a satisfying way.
After looking at this work, I decided to make some collages of my own. I created four collages total, each using content from a different magazine. I suspected that each collage would have a unique aesthetic vibe as a result. As layers were added, design preferences of each individual magazine began to appear through the repetition of images and typography specific to each brand.
I created four at a time because there was quite a bit of waiting involved in the process. I would brush glue onto bristol board in random patterns before layering full magazine pages on top. I would then wait for the glue to dry before tearing away and adding a new layer. The results were consistently surprising because I didn't try to control the specifics of what was glued down.
I thought that this process was a lot of fun, but I think my technique has room for improvement. I wish I would have used watercolor paper instead of bristol board. The bristol board didn't stand up very well to the wetness of the Elmer's glue I was using, which I also didn't like. It took a long time to dry and it was pretty messy. If I were to try this again, I think I would experiment with hot glue or maybe a spray adhesive of some kind.
Did you give this a try? I would love to see it! Tag @prettiestpear on Instagram and Tiktok.
Love this!