The Origins of Assemblage Art
Assemblage art, a style that merges sculpture, collage, and found-object art, began in the early 20th century with artists seeking to challenge traditional art forms and experiment with new materials. The term “assemblage” itself was popularized in the 1950s by artist Jean Dubuffet, but the style’s roots reach back even earlier to the innovations of artists like Pablo Picasso and Marcel Duchamp.
Key Pioneers and Early Experiments
- Pablo Picasso:
– Picasso is credited with some of the earliest examples of assemblage in his cubist works, where he combined materials like wood, metal, and paper to create three-dimensional forms that redefined sculpture. His famous *Still Life with Chair Caning* (1912) incorporated a oilcloth printed with a chair-cane pattern, adding a tangible, everyday object to a painted canvas.
- Marcel Duchamp:
– Duchamp revolutionised the art world with his concept of the “ready-made,” everyday objects he designated as art by mere choices, such as his infamous *Fountain* (1917), a signed urinal. His ready-made laid the philosophical groundwork for assemblage by questioning what constitutes art, inspiring future artists to see beauty and meaning in found objects.
- Dada and Surrealist Influence:
– The Dada movement, with its anti-establishment spirit, further encouraged artists to use non-traditional materials and found objects. Artists like Kurt Schwitters assembled everyday items in his *Merzbau* project, creating sprawling sculptures from discarded items. Surrealists like Max Ernst and Man Ray also experimented with unexpected combinations, using found materials to create works that challenged reality and embraced the subconscious.
Assemblage in the Mid-20th Century
Assemblage gained recognition as a distinct art style in the 1950s and 60s. Jean Dubuffet coined the term to describe his series *Assemblages d’Empreintes*, made from small pieces of organic materials and debris. This style resonated with many American artists, especially those connected with the Neo-Dada and Pop Art movements, who embraced assemblage to engage with consumer culture and the urban landscape.
- Joseph Cornell: – Known for his intricate shadow boxes, Cornell filled small glass-fronted containers with found objects like old photographs, maps, and trinkets, creating dreamlike, personal worlds that invite viewers into his inner thoughts and memories.
- Louise Nevelson: – Nevelson created large monochromatic wall sculptures from wood scraps, furniture parts, and architectural elements. Her works, often painted in a single colour, transformed discarded items into unified, powerful statements that explored themes of identity, spirituality, and urban decay.
- Robert Rauschenberg: – Rauschenberg’s “combines” blurred the boundaries between painting and sculpture, mixing traditional art materials with everyday objects like fabric, metal, and newspapers. His work challenged the distinction between art and life, reflecting contemporary culture’s chaotic and diverse nature.
Assemblage as a Contemporary Art Form
Assemblage has continued to evolve, with contemporary artists using discarded materials to comment on environmental issues, consumerism, and cultural identity. Assemblage’s origins in early 20th-century experimentalism paved the way for today’s artists to explore new meanings through found objects, bridging past and present in the search for beauty, meaning, and commentary in the everyday.
Roxks.
https://www.theartstory.org/definition/assemblage/
https://www.tate.org.uk/art/art-terms/a/assemblage
https://www.pacegallery.com/artists/louise-nevelson/