Collage as an expression of cultural hybridity

Collage has been established as an art form for many decades, but large museum exhibitions about it are rare. The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston is now presenting an exemplary presentation that focuses on collages by Black American artists. The departure from classical painting or screen printing with found materials of all kinds, which form something new in a unique way, reflects the search for identity and the cultural fragmentation of Black Americans. Multiplicity: Blackness in Contemporary American Collage is on view from February 18 through May 12 in Houston, Texas.

From Romare Bearden and Jacob Lawrence to Faith Ringgold and Betye Saar, numerous stars of the American art scene are represented. Current positions by the likes of Tschabalala Self, Arthur Jafa and a number of local artists such as Tay Butler, Jamal Cyrus, Rick Lowe and Lovie Olivia continue their work. They express the infinite possibilities of narratives constructed by black people in a fragmented society.