BCP Zine #2 - De/Re-Construction

OCTOBER 2021

Undercharge-Explosive | 2021 | 20 X 28 cm | Paper

COVER COLLAGE BY MATTHIEU BOUREL

ISSUE #2 DE/RE-CONSTRUCTION

FEATURING INTERNATIONAL COLLAGE ARTISTS BASED IN GERMANY

©2021 BCP ZINE created by Koywe Kollage, Fernanda Porto, Tonii Reed & Florencia Prats cover art by Matthieu Bourel All rights reserved. This online magazine or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the Berlin Collage Platform (BCP).

Each artist owns the rights to the submitted images and the meaning of those works doesn´t necessarily represent the vision and values of BCP. Issue #2 - DE/RE-CONSTRUCTION berlincollageplatform@gmail.com bpc.opencall@gmail.com 2

INDEX BCP Manifesto………………………………………………………………………………………….

Editorial ………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

Interview Kai Holland - Part 1 ……………………………………………………………………….

Artist´s showcase 1 Tonii Reed ………………………………………………………………………………………………

Susanna Lakner …………………………………………………………………………………….

Simone Karl ……………………………………………………………………………………………

Saskia Reis……………………………………………………………………………………………..

Sabine Remy …………………………………………………………………………………………

Philipp Eichhorn …………………………………………………………………………………..

Norika Nienstedt …………………………………………………………………………………..

Niels Kalk ……………………………………………………………………………………………..

Mister Kilroy ………………………………………………………………………………………….

Miss Glueniverse …………………………………………………………………………………..

Interview Kai Holland - Part 2 ……………………………………………………………………….

Artist´s showcase 2 Miriam Tölke…………………………………………………………………………………………..

Matthias Pilsz ………………………………………………………………………………………..

Mario Osterland ……………………………………………………………………………………..

Maja Stallkamp ………………………………………………………………………………………

Lilly Helja Johansso ……………………………………………………………………………….

Koywe Kollage ……………………………………………………………………………………….

Jorge Chamorro …………………………………………………………………………………….

Joanna Wietecka ……………………………………………………………………………………

Jens Wortmann ……………………………………………………………………………………..

Jan Brokof ……………………………………………………………………………………………..

Interview Maria Elisa Quiaro………………………………………………………………………….

Artist´s showcase 3 Isabel Reitemeyer……………………………………………………………………………………

Holger Becker ………………………………………………………………………………………..

Florencia Prats ………………………………………………………………………………………

Fernanda Porto ………………………………………………………………………………………

Eva Gjaltema ………………………………………………………………………………………….

Eric Costa Kohl ……………………………………………………………………………………..

Daniel Schaffel ……………………………………………………………………………………..

D.M. Nagu ……………………………………………………………………………………………..

Christiana Teufel …………………………………………………………………………………..

Christian Stork ……………………………………………………………………………………….

Andrés Galeano ……………………………………………………………………………………..

Aline Hemcke ………………………………………………………………………………………..

Acknowledgments ……………………………………..………………………………………………….

04 05 06 12 16 18 20 22 24 26 27 28 30 32 40 42 44 46 48 50 52 56 58 60 62 70 72 74 76 78 82 84 86 88 90 92 94 96

3

MANIFESTO We are Berlin Collage Platform, an international collective of collage artists based in Berlin. Hereby, we wish to communicate who we are, our motivations, intentions and what we stand for as an artistic group: i. BCP is a space of convergence for collage artists and local collage collectives who focus on analogue and mixed media techniques. ii. BCP sees collage as an art form in and of itself and, thus, wishes to create greater awareness of its relevance in the contemporary art scene. iii. BCP embraces collage art techniques as a clear and elevated means of artistic expression in the present day. iv. BCP promotes networking among artists, as well as the exchange of ideas, opportunities, and knowledge. v. BCP strives to reinforce a sense of community among national and international groups of artists based in Germany by providing exposure to a wide range of collage artists through different ongoing projects, such as zines and exhibitions, as well as through our social media platforms. vi. BCP aims for artists to inspire others through their creations and to get inspired by the work of others in return. vii. BCP prides itself to be a platform based on tolerance, inclusion of all nationalities, races and genders, equality, respect, individuality, and unity. viii. BCP aims to showcase the local collage art scene beyond German borders. ix. BCP believes in coming together as collage artists, recognising and supporting each other, therefore unifying and strengthening our community.

Berlin Collage Platform Berlin, 2021 4

EDITORIAL This e-zine is the second issue of the zine created by the Berlin Collage Platform, a digital magazine in which we showcase the international collage scene of artists residing in Germany.

Through an Open Call on the theme “De/Re-construction”, we have selected all the wonderful artists and works you will feast your eyes on in the following pages.

WHY DE- AND RECONSTRUCTION? De- and re-construction are processes that are tantamount to collage art, in its most essential sense, and as the core aspect of the technique.

However, we can’t help but relating the theme to all we have been through in this past year and a half, both individually and collectively. Even though the pandemic is not nearly over yet, things are starting to get slowly but surely back to some normalcy that is similar to the one we knew beforehand, at least for artists residing in Germany.

In this period, we were abruptly forced to adapt to a new reality that challenged us all along the way, that made us reinvent ourselves. In other words, you could say we had to construct, deconstruct, and then reconstruct again, in what seemed to be an endless stream of a whole lot of adaptation and transformation.

Constructing is creating. Deconstructing and reconstructing is transforming.

What have we built? What have we destroyed? What has transformed?

Maybe now it would be a good time to look back and reflect on how all this has touched us as artists, and how it influenced our work.

However, transformation is a broad concept, and it is something that is constantly taking place in all of us. In this sense, this zine is not only pandemic-related by any means: We left it open to every artist to choose what these words and processes mean to them in relation to collage. We are now happy and ready to show you what has come out of this.

5

INTERVIEW WITH

KAI HOLLAND “COPYRIGHT IN COLLAGE”

PART 1 OF 2

Using collage to engage in a kind of visual-recycling Kai is a German artist living in Berlin, who studied Visual Communication / Photo- and Film Design at the University of Applied Sciences in Dortmund.

Although his work began as a photographer, primarily with documentary photography, in the early 90s he began to incorporate collage into his photographic work, which became an extension of his creativity that has continued to this day.

Since Kai is an artist who has been in the collage scene for many years and has vast knowledge about the use of images, we wanted to know more about him, his work as a collagist, his current work and the different aspects of copyright.

The following is the interview we did with him and we hope you enjoy it.

What year did you start making collages?

The first serious engagement with the use of already-existing visual material in my work took place in 1991 in the context of my photography studies through a report on the second Gulf War in Iraq. I was interested in how the war was visually documented in the media at that time. These surreal images of the sky over Baghdad at night or the ghostly real-time shots of the impacting cruise missiles had taken on a strange virtuality for me which I wanted to bring back into an analog experience, using collage and assemblage techniques.

What was it about collage that captivated you? And why did you keep doing it until now?

I learned photography in the form of classical photojournalism, which, in the mid-eighties, meant spending a lot of time standing in the darkroom handling chemicals and making photographic prints. In other words, my work had a strong connection to material and (photo) paper. At the same time, we were always on the lookout for topics that were as exciting as possible. Reportages that, on the one hand, satisfied the need of shaking up the world with one's work, but that, on the other hand, were also meant to be marketable, thus permanently facing the harsh reality of the photo business and print media. Certainly, working with existing visual material meant a kind of demarcation from these mechanisms to me. In the era of digital images, I'm still fascinated by the idea of using collage to engage in a kind of visual-recycling.

7

For people who aren’t familiar with your work and would like to know about it, how would you define it or describe it?

I am a supporter of the separation between picture analysis and picture interpretation, so there are two aspects to this. The first one would be formal: My works are mostly very detailed and multi-layered and feature organic and geometric shapes of different sizes, sometimes very colorful, sometimes monochrome, and they are made with a variety of materials. The second aspect would be content-related: a fusion of biomass and machines, often somewhat morbid, but usually also (hopefully) humorous. Faces are mostly unrecognizable and hidden behind masks.

What are the technical focal points of your art? (e.g., type of materials, 2D or 3D, the composition, colors, etc.)

My first collage works originated in photos and images that I had photographed myself from books, magazines as well as from screens. Soon thereafter, I started using clippings directly from printed media. As I began working in the photo agency, these completely new and almost inexhaustible resources became available to me. The internet as a source of images has also turned out to be an important factor in the search for certain images. I print out much of what I specifically need with a high-quality color laser printer. I also have an extensive collection of objects that I use to create three-dimensional assemblages.

Since I’ve been asked this from time to time, it might be worth mentioning that I exclusively use a single pair of normal paper scissors: No special scissors, no scalpels.

Do you work with a pre-determined theme? or does the work build up as you go along in a random way?

I usually start off with a relatively clear idea in my head, but I work on its implementation over a long period of time, so certain coincidences, new insights or discoveries will have an influence along the creative process. I do, however, search for motifs according to the chosen theme. I sometimes use a kind of mind map, as well, on which I first compile lists of terms on the subject and then I use them as "keywords" in the search for templates for my collages.

The technical achievements of human history and their consistently ambivalent use for good or bad are visualized in my works again and again. This is why I have my own archive of different leitmotifs on the recurring themes, for instance—as already mentioned—the concepts of biomass and machines.

8

What else do you do besides work as an artist?

I work as head of picture editing department in an international picture agency called akgimages. I am responsible for content-related, legal, and creative customer consultations from all media areas. I am also in charge of the editing and making of the agency's photography calendar, which is published annually.

Could you tell us about what your company does?

Akg-images is an international photo agency with a total stock of over 10 million images.

For more than 70 years, the agency has been collecting different subjects from art and culture, history and politics, science, and media worldwide. We represent many wellknown photographers and museums, as well as other picture agencies. We also employ our own photographers and, whenever possible, buy photographers' estates that fit our profile. We process these image documents and make them available to professional clients via an image database as very high-resolution scans.

Akg-images is a source when it comes to image research, image editing and publishing, be it in newspapers and magazines, online media, advertising, book projects, CD covers or exhibitions.

A very important part of our business field has become the "Print on Demand" area. In simple terms, we sell image data and the associated rights for reproduction.

> Read the second part on page 33

9

DE/RE-CONSTRUCTION

#berlincollageplatform

ZINE #2 8

PART 1 OF 3

ARTIST SHOWCASE

Tonii Reed Susanna Lakner Simone Karl Saskia Reis Sabine Remy Philipp Eichhorn Norika Nienstedt Niels Kalk Mister Kilroy Miss Glueniverse

12 14 18 20 22 24 26 28 29 30

ARTIST SHOWCASE PART 2 OF 3__________ 39 11

TONII REED German artist based in Berlin “For me, the question of deconstruction in all my artworks is based on the one hand on the formal-visual aspect and on the other hand on the content-based statement. From the formalvisuell aspect de/reconstruction is a means of abstraction and a technique that helps me to express my style. In terms of content de/reconstruction is a kind of „encryption“ that determines how much content I want to reveal to the viewer.”

Balance The Throne 2021 29,7 x 42,0 cm Part of Triptych Analog paper collage

12

@

tonii.reed Instagram

Call the Police | 2021 | 29,7 x 42,0 cm | Part of Triptych | Analog paper collage 13

SUSANNA LAKNER Hungarian artist based in Stuttgart “Recently, the collages go through several phases with me: first, the normal procedure with cut out, construct and glue. In the second phase, I often cut up these collages again and build the elements thus acquired together with new image fragments, sometimes upside down or twisted on a new background. Many smaller pictures, which could actually be finished works, become in this way not infrequently "only" a new detail of a larger picture and get now and then also new glued layers. With this re- and deconstruction, the whole procedure becomes full of new twists and surprises, and the works become more and more mysterious, which I enjoy immensely.”

14

@

planet_susannia Instagram

Der Beobachter 2021 30 x 50 cm Pictures from old magazines and books

15

Mythos | 2021 | 43 x 53 cm | Pictures from old magazines and books

SIMONE KARL German artist based in Hamburg “-En theos- transfers the theme to a fluid gender. Skin, hair, and fabrics merge into each other and binary gender characteristics become unclear. The result is a hybrid of body characteristics, which is neither woman nor man, but a fluid organism. The outside becomes less relevant and the innermost literally turns to the outside.” en theos 2 2020 50 x 40 cm Collage of photographs from queer magazines, layered collage

18

@

_simonekarl_ www.simoneka.com

en theos 1 | 2020 | 50 x 40 cm | Collage of photographs from queer magazines, layered collage 19

SASKIA REIS German artist based in Berlin “-Deconstructing the image of womxn- creates a new female gaze. It is my personal fantasy, a sensitive, unfinished and evolving response to existing narratives of how womxn are depicted and perceived. By revealing layers and building new perspectives, I feel I create more space for my own desires. It's my dreamy and evolving visual commentary about how I want womxn (to be able) to be: free, diverse, bold and beautifully complex, regardless of age.”

Untitled 2021 27,9 x 21,1 cm Papercut and collage (from the series "Deconstructing the image of womxn”)

20

@

saskiareiscom www.saskiareis.com

Untitled | 2021 | 27,6 x 21,2 cm | Papercut and collage (from the series “Deconstructing the image of womxn”) 21

SABINE REMY German artist based in Düsseldorf “By using imagery from different sources, each of which is disassembled and then reassembled in new ways, each collage is a work of deconstruction and reconstruction.”

Baaan | 2021 | 13,3 x 18,3 cm | Images from "The Golden Age of DC Comics 1935 - 1956 by Paul Levitz" and "1000 Pin-Ip-Girls by Peter Driben" 22

@

sabine.remy.collage www.miriskum.de

Blue | 2021 | 13 x 18 cm cm | Images from "The Golden Age of DC Comics 1935 - 1956 by Paul Levitz" and "1000 Pin-Ip-Girls by Peter Driben" 23

PHILIPP EICHHORN German artist based in Freiburg / Breisgau “I have linked both works to techno but also to confidence and hope. I breathed new life into old papers, creating a dynamic of my own. A homage to the now resurgent night culture, the boundless freedom of being - ecstatic experiences as if there were no tomorrow.”

Headspace | 2021 | 30 x 24 cm | Analog paper collage 24

@

13mixedmodesart www.13mixedmodes.de

Stillsteppin | 2021 | 21 x 27 cm | Analog paper collage 25

NORIKA NIENSTEDT German artist based in Düsseldorf “The submitted works "Lenses" and " Hat" relate to the theme, as I cut up images from nature, art and fashion, and put them back together in new contexts, so that in the success I surprise myself and the viewer.”

Hut | 2021 | 20 x 30 cm | Magazine cutouts, color photocopies on photo and acrylic 26

@

norikanienstedt Instagram

Linsen | 2021 | 22 x 27 cm | Magazine photos and color photocopies 27

NIELS KALK Dutch artist based in Berlin

@

nielskalk

nielskalk.com

“In this work you can see a disassembled (de/re-constructed) picture of constructivist sculpture 'Flamingo', by Alexander Calder, colliding with a plane in midair.”

Flamingo | 2017 | 20 x 29 cm | Glue & paper 28

MISTER KILROY German artist based in Wiesbaden

@

mr_kilroy

www.mr-kilroy.com

“The rearrangement and alienated coloring of the religious copperplate engravings is strange and invites, through the small-scale composition, to decipher the image. Via the insertion of brand symbols, the original sacred motif is placed in a new context of meaning.”

New religion | 2020 | 29.7 x 42 cm | Neon paper, gray board 29

MISS GLUENIVERSE Austrian artist based in Berlin “As I collect pieces of street posters during my nightly strolls through Berlin and love to include them in my collages, my intention with this piece was to try to characterize the city I live in. The complex layers of my collage reflect the vibes of Berlin.”

30

@

miss_glueniverse Instagram

ComplexCity 2021 40 x 50 cm Mixed Media - acryl, paper, streetposters from Berlin on painted cardboard

31

INTERVIEW WITH

KAI HOLLAND “COPYRIGHT IN COLLAGE”

PART 2 OF 2

5

The copyrights of others in relation to our work as collagists Collage is a technique that is based, above all, on collecting and using material from others, cutting it out and pasting it so that these pieces are rearranged with other adjacent images. We are not oblivious to the fact that all material has an owner, and this is where copyright plays a fundamental role.

Copyright is a type of intellectual property that gives its owner the exclusive right to make copies of a creative work, usually for a limited time. The creative work may be literary, artistic, educational, or musical. Copyright is intended to protect the original expression of an idea in the form of a creative work, but not the idea itself.

In this second part, Kai tells us more about this topic based on his experience in the image commercialization industry, but as a disclaimer, the information provided in this interview is not legal information, and is only based on his global knowledge of copyrights. If you need to have specific information on a particular issue, please contact the indicated legal representatives who can guide you on the matter.

We know that your company works with an image bank that provides material to other companies and therefore you are well-informed when it comes to copyright laws. What do we need to know when collaging with images from magazines or books?

All works published in the media that we use for collage art have been created by people in an individual process. These creators are inseparable from their work and, therefore, they own the copyright to them as well as the right to control the exploitation and use of the values tied to them. After the death of the creator, the rights to the works are passed on to the legal heirs until the protection period expires.

The print media in which we find our material has paid the creators or right holders a usage fee for the reproduction of that work while also giving credit by stating the corresponding reference to the right holders, either in the list of image sources or even directly on the image.

What is decisive for us when using works that are probably still protected is lastly whether we are creating new, independent pieces and in what context they will be published. I would like to quote French writer Paul Valéry: "A picture is more than a picture and sometimes more than the thing itself".

33

Using other people's images can not only be against copyright laws but also against the will of the person who is being photographed. This person may not agree to the use of his own image in a collage, right? What can you tell us about it?

In principle, individuals own the right to their own image and need to consent to having photos of them taken and published. There are, of course, exceptions, for example, in the case of photos taken during the reporting and documenting of current events, such as demonstrations or natural disasters, or people who happen to be in a crowded square, a soccer stadium or in front of a tourist attraction when another person is taking a photo. In professional and advertising photography, this is largely regulated by model releases.

Regular people, like you and me, are protected much more strictly than, let’s say, celebrities. Celebrities and politicians, being figures of public interest who achieve their fame solely through the presence in the media, it’s hard for them to stop the spreading of photographic material of them, both for editorial or artistic purposes—such as collage art —because the public has a legitimate interest in them. Nonetheless, these people too have a right to privacy and to their own image, especially when it comes to advertising.

Minors are also specially protected, that’s the reason why you often see the faces of celebrities' children blurred out in the media.

Regarding collage, it could only become problematic if private individuals recognize themselves in the collages and feel defamed. In the event of a dispute, a court would judge whether a person's honor has been massively violated, and possibly assess this as comparable to bodily harm. Moreover, if a person was pictured in a collage published for commercial purposes without their consent, it could lead to legal claims for damages.

When is it possible to be held liable in a court action for copyright infringement?

First of all, we can relax: No law can forbid you to create a collage from material that is cut out of books or magazines, etc. and hang it on a wall, show it in exhibitions, give it away or even sell it as original work. But as soon as a collage piece featuring problematic copyright content is reproduced in high numbers or is published in other commercial contexts like book covers or advertisements, the authors of the works used in the collage could become aware of it and eventually file a lawsuit to obtain compensation for unauthorized usage.

The publishing of works in social media presents yet another complex problem, which admittedly would go beyond the scope of these explanations.

34

Every legal dispute can have consequences that are difficult to calculate. Even if no copyright infringement can be established, a lawsuit always costs time and patience.

Likewise, a legal dispute could occur in the case of a serious violation of trademark rights, in which you would have very well-positioned and determined opponents in the form of corporations. For example, I would strongly advise against using a Nike logo or the Olympic Rings in an advertising collage for another sporting goods manufacturer as this would violate trademark rights.

What belongs in the scope of "artistic freedom" and does not violate copyright?

Fortunately, in most countries, freedom of art is a good worth protecting (and, for the time being, there is no fixed definition of what art is at all). However, art is now just as much an integral part of the economic order, with capital flow and the potential to violate the rights of others. The interpretation and application of copyright paragraphs from the statute books are in constant change. But if one's own creative act is more decisive for the final collage than the sourced material, then it is likely that no copyright infringement can be assumed. The same applies if the collage is clearly anti thematic to the original work, i.e., a caricature or parody.

How can an image be judged as an infringement on copyrights?

This is not easy to measure. A court would try to determine whether the accused artist has created a new, independent work or not. It has to be clearly distinct from the original.

The court would also examine whether the work deliberately deals with the content of the material being used or if there is a new statement in the artwork. In this case, this use could also be justified by the right of freedom of expression, if applicable. The more material from various authors being used in one collage, the smaller their share in the new work is and its protectability decreases as a result. However, it is also possible to create a new work with a single cutout from a protected photograph without violating the copyright.

Have you heard of any cases where a collagist has had a serious copyright problem?

I am not aware of any significant conflicts with considerable legal consequences from my collage circle, but I am aware of cases in which collage artists have complained about plagiarism.

35

In my professional environment, however, copyright conflicts arise again and again.

Recently, for example, an illustrator used a Man Ray photograph of Coco Chanel and published a drawing of it as his own work in a well-known magazine. As a result, the publisher received an invoice for the unauthorized use of Man Ray’s work from the institution in charge of protecting the existing copyrights of the work of Man Ray. The illustrator had not informed the magazine about possible copyright infringement and, ultimately, he had to pay. Otherwise, this matter could have been taken to court by the right holders.

A drastic example of how a lack of knowledge of copyright laws can be used to make profit is the practice of people with legal knowledge offering products with photographs for sale on eBay with the sole motive of waiting that other people use that same photo to attract buyers to their own goods, therefore violating the copyright of the original photographer by unauthorized use. Afterwards, a warning threatening with a lawsuit is sent to them, and the initiator of this scam ends up earning some nice extra income.

Is there a difference between copyright laws in Germany, Europe, or America?

It would be almost impossible to answer that question in just a few sentences.

In principle, each country is entitled to apply its own laws within its own borders. Due to globalization, however, there is a need to standardize rights regarding trade of tangible and intangible goods, such as intellectual property. There is a special agreement called TRIPS (Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights) within the framework of the World Trade Organization (WTO)-of which 164 countries are members-where some minimum standards in copyright are guaranteed. The European Union is also a member of this organization, but they regulate these issues according to its own guidelines.

These laws are, of course, always getting adapted to new social requirements and presented to countries for implementation with deadlines. This all sounds complicated, and it is. Therefore, there is a very simple rule, which everyone who works with image material of other authors should remember: In most countries, copyright expires 70 years after the death of the author. This means that the work of an artist who died in 1950, for example, was protected until midnight on December 31st, 2020. One minute later, on January 1st, 2021, it will already have expired.

36

What advice would you give to collage artists to make sure they don't get into trouble with copyrights?

I would ask myself, as a collage artist, to which extent I would consider it an infringement of my own copyright if another person used my work or parts of it in their collage. At least then you get a better feel for how it might be perceived by the other artist whose work or significant parts of it you are using. Sensitivity is required here, as well as the standard of one's own artistic creation. Do I really want to create a collage that is good mainly because someone else's work that I used is good?

I don't think it is likely that one will get into trouble with copyright as long as one's work is published or exhibited with appropriately small exposure. However, should one be fortunate enough to become so well-known that one's work is chosen for nationwide advertisements on bus stops or on the cover of a long-awaited best-selling novel, then I would definitely always seek legal advice if in doubt.

Otherwise, there is only one basic rule from journalism: "When in doubt, leave it out.”

37

BERLIN COLLAGE PLATFORM

Zine #2

34

PART 2 OF 3

ARTIST SHOWCASE

Miriam Tölke Matthias Pilsz Mario Osterland Maja Stallkamp Lilly Helja Johansso Koywe Kollage Jorge Chamorro Joanna Wietecka Jens Wortmann Jan Brokof

40 42 44 46 48 50 52 56 58 60

ARTIST SHOWCASE PART 3 OF 3__________ 69

39

MIRIAM TÖLKE German artist based in Berlin “the pictures are there listen expression in every movement carry it on let it go the attempt to combine reality and dream structure create Dada minimalism forward following the impulse contact the beautiful opens the view of the heart new ways of seeing”

Lichtung| 2020 | 30 x 23,5 cm | Collage Paperwork 40

@

mir._art Instagram

Contact | 2020 | 17 x 13cm | Collage Paperwork 41

MATTHIAS PILSZ German artist based in Berlin “I am a mad scientist who blows up a whole city, picks up the pieces and then rebuilds a new city according to his preferences.

For the viewer, it is not obvious what these new cities are made of (though sometimes he might guess or recognize), but me, as the creator, I know, for example, that, „Brazil“ (not the country but the Terry Gilliam movie) is made from bits of a magazine about hydro-energy in Quebec from the late 60s as well as from a book that promoted the German city of Zelle in the early 60s.

These cities don’t exist in the real world, but the elements they are made of do, and I am playing God, de-constructing and reconstructing them.”

The only living boy in New York 2021 48 x 48 cm Paper Collage from original print material

42

@

pilsz.artist

pilsz.tumblr.com

Brazil | 2020 | 44 x 54 cm | Paper Collage from original print material 43

MARIO OSTERLAND German artist based in Erfurt “With echoes of classical sacred images and the Affichists, new stories emerge from old newspaper photos: Small scenes from lives that have been shaken and/or are in upheaval.”

HALOs 005 2020 21 x 14,8 cm Watercolor paper, newsprint, colored pencil, glue stick, typewriter

44

@

clarknova25 Instagram

HALOs 005 | 2020 | 21 x 14,8 cm | Watercolor paper, newsprint, colored pencil, glue stick, typewriter 45

MAJA STALLKAMP German artist based in Berlin “My works depict deconstruction and reconstruction in one.

Different images and materials are disassembled and reassembled. Thus, new contexts and combinations arise in a way that the viewer can immerse themself in unusual visual worlds that give them space for new perspectives.”

Let it flow | 2020 | 12 x 11 cm | Magazin paper 46

@

hundertachtzig Instagram

Eat me | 2020 | 13,5 x 19 cm | Found pictures & own photographs 47

LILLY HELJA JONASSON German artist based in Hannover “My de/re construction is a geometric abstraction through geometric elements, such as asymmetrical triangles and rectangles, in the form of photo splinters. My collage technique, the splittographylage, is characterized by working with photography and the geometric splitting of photography. With each cut, the original meaning is changed. My design method creates new systems of order, surfaces and patterns.”

Jungle | 2017 | 30 x 30 cm | Self shot photography 48

@

_lilly_helja www.lillyhj.de

MAZE | 2020 | 60 × 60 cm | Self shot photography 49

KOYWE KOLLAGE Chilean/German artist based in Berlin “In these reconstructed portraits of two different men, I reflect on the idea of the deconstruction of masculinity and how it has evolved over the centuries. How have the archetypes been broken? What have we done to understand masculinity differently? And what does it mean to be a man nowadays? For me, these answers are based on being who you truly want to be without having to ascribe to stereotypical expectations of a backwards society.”

Deconstruction of Man 2 2021 22 x 32,5 cm Old and new magazines, glue, and books

50

@

koywekollage

www.koywekollage.com

Deconstruction of Man 1 | 2021 | 23 x 33,5 cm | Old and new magazines, glue, and books 51

JORGE CHAMORRO Spanish artist based in Berlin "To come out of the underground, to reappear, to dig oneself out of confinement, to stick one's head out again (in this case, one’s foot), to return to life, to return to colour, to return to joy... To rebuild oneself, to reconstruct oneself.”

52

@

_jorgechamorro www.jorgechamorro.es

Views 1 2020 34 x 24,5 cm Photos from books and magazines

53

Soupface Views 2 | 2020 2017 | 34 31 x 24,5 24 cm cm | Photos | Photos from from books books and and magazines magazines 31

JOANNA WIETECKA Polish artist based in Berlin “The gaze is led astray, comes to the core only at second glance and discovers the "origin" of the details. Deconstruction breaks with visual habits, forces us to break out, liberates us, challenges and holds a wonderful potential for surprise without ever becoming absurd.”

Glacier 2021 21x29,7 cm Analog paper collage

56

@

jo_wisz Instagram

Triathlete | 2021 | 21 x 29,7 cm | Analog paper collage 57

JENS WORTMANN German artist based in Aachen “Most collages are created through deconstruction and reconstruction. After the reconstruction, however, another deconstruction must always follow only for it to be reconstructed again. The art of collage is a constant circular process.”

Untitled 2020 29.7 x 42 cm Old Italian boulevard newspapers from the 60s

58

@

jens_wortmann Instagram

Untitled | 2021 | 20 x 18,3 cm | Paper collage 59

JAN BROKOF German artist based in Berlin “Collage is in itself a de- and reconstruction process. The cooperation with the original material does not aim at a fusion of the individual parts but to differentiate itself, the contamination of the idea of a form in favor of assemblage. The associative, contaminating way of working pursues a policy of crossing borders. In this way, a multiplicity of forms of expression can coexist.”

Thinking and Ordering 2021 30 x 21,5 cm Collage from fashion magazines

60

@

jan_brokof Instagram

Life (an instruction manual) | 2021 | 30x 22 cm | Collage from fashion magazines 61

INTERVIEW WITH

MARIA ELISA QUIARO “HER POINT OF VIEW ABOUT THE COLLAGE SCENE”

5

A passionate artist who found her means of expression through collage as a language Maria Elisa Quiaro is a Venezuelan artist who works as a teacher of Art Theory and Art History at an educational institute in Montabaur. Having studied Communication, Graphic Design, Journalism, and with a Master degree in Art, she has made a strong career within the collage scene over the past years.

Maria first experimented with collage when she illustrated an alphabet book for her daughter. Two years later, while participating in a ceramic artist residency, she was asked to do a 2D sculptural work in which she again used this technique in combination with porcelain and wood. This was the moment when collage entered her artistic life.

Maria doesn’t see collage as a mere technique: she is captivated by collage as a language in itself and everything that is behind it. She fell in love with the immediacy of collage and the challenge that the use of limited materials to create specific narratives represents, and she finds it fascinating to see how a piece of art is closely examined by the visitor of an exhibition. In her words, “a good collage always manages to captivate the mood of the viewer by attracting attention and generating reactions and questions. In fact, collage seduces and unsettles the viewer in a fantastic form.”

Maria´s work is conceptual and comes from a need to work in series.

Her main subject is the evolving concept of „memory“, but memory beyond the fact of the remembrance itself. This recurring theme is examined and developed in each series in a different way.

It is the unfocused or overexposed memory, that is created from an event that perhaps never happened, which she is interested in.

“Structural variations (serie)” 100 x 75 cm | 2021 | Collage on photopaper

As a child of post-modernity, everything she sees is transformed into creative stimuli– cinema, photography, comics, traveling and so on.

63

Nature is a great source of inspiration to her, but so is literature (especially poetry), where she enjoys playing with words and their meanings.

When we asked her are about the technical focal points of her work, she provided this short guide: - Composition has always played a fundamental role in her work.

- In the past, she has worked in assemblages with a variety of sculptural materials.

They are three-dimensional collages!

- In her current practice, for some series, she works with her own photographic materials which allow her to work in larger formats.

- When she works with flat color backgrounds she likes to use chroma-luxe papers.

- She is a collector of scalpels, she has more than she can use!

The German collage scene and its evolution in Maria´s eyes As an artist who has been living in Germany for a few decades, she has participated in multiple group exhibitions (nationally and internationally), has been featured in several publications, given many interviews, collaborated with several artists over the past years, and organized her own collage exhibitions. Therefore, we were very intrigued to hear her personal opinion about the past, present, and future of the German collage scene.

We know that you have been active in the collage scene for a couple of years by now. How was the German collage scene when you started? What memories do you have of those times?

I have an unforgettable memory about the first impression that the collage scene in Germany made on me. I was visiting Berlin in the spring-summer of 2013, and I was lucky enough to have witnessed two wonderful exhibitions, one curated by Jorge Chamorro, and another a few days later, The Weird Show, curated by Maxomatic. Both shows were fresh and irreverent demon-strations of life and creativity in collage.

In the beginning, I knew very little about the collage scene in Germany. I thought that collage artists were a rarity in the world of art… And, suddenly, I witnessed a young, creative scene with no other pretensions other than the expression of its creators. It was all happening in the city of living collage–Berlin. I returned to Westerwald, on the one hand, absolutely inspired by what I saw and, on the other hand, wishing that one day collage would be like those two Berlin exhibitions in the rest of Germany.

64

How do you think that the German collage scene has changed or evolved throughout the years?

Over the years I have had the pleasure of meeting some representatives of the contemporary collage scene in Germany. I can't help thinking that collage made in this country inherently carries the avant-garde heritage that made it such an expressive force 100 years ago. Beyond that, much of today's German collage is diverse and witty and that undoubtedly reflects the world we live in.

Sometimes culture influences the aesthetics or the content of the artists' work, as in the case of Germany, Do you think there is a label that identifies “German collage”?

German collage is difficult to pigeonhole. It goes beyond the obvious because it is constantly searching for the „unique touch“. Its vision is broad and plural. It is often confrontational and daring, humoursome, and full of visual winks. Its aesthetics is particular and definitely personal.

We know that there are many international collagists living in Germany and that it is perhaps difficult to differentiate between work done by a German and a foreigner but, overall, what is your opinion about the collage made in this country?

Perhaps what I am saying is a generalization in which we can certainly observe exceptions, but there are countries in which a common thread can be observed, for example, those with a very melancholic, vintage, and even romantic tendency. It is true that the environment and culture undoubtedly influence the artistic expression of the inhabitants of a country, I think that German collage, has a very particular stamp, it feels like a broad vision, a product of the constant search and the intention to break with boundaries. The collage made in Germany is distinct no matter where its creators were born.

“Structural variations (serie)” 100 x 75 cm | 2021 | Collage on photopaper

65

In your opinion, is there a clear difference between the collage made in Germany and the one made in other countries?

Indeed, and that is not only my opinion, but I have also asked other fellow collagists in other countries, and they all agree on „that aura" that unites us, although each creator expresses himself differently. Collage made here speaks its own language.

Is there any other country that currently stands out for you when it comes to collage?

Why?

USA collage has very interesting characteristics. They have amazing collage artists. Why? I think they do not hesitate to give it a place as an artistic expression alongside other art forms.

Do you have some favorite collagists living in Germany? Can you name a few that are worth knowing?

Oh, how difficult! Actually, there are many collagists, either German or living here in Germany, whose work I find fascinating for one reason or another. I will name three, although my list of excellent creators is much longer: First, Kai Holland, for his incredible ability to create unbelievable worlds with seemingly endless pieces. Second, Isabel Reitemeyer because, through accurate and minimalist cuts, she manages to show emotional states with mastery. And last but not least, Jorge Chamorro. His work shows a superb relationship between humor and the synthesis of elements.

Back to the local scene, how would you describe it nowadays? (Especially when you look at the artwork showcased on social media).

Two years ago, I had the opportunity to organize and curate an international collage exhibition for the Women's Museum in Wiesbaden: Thirteen women showed their collage work there. Five of them live on German territory. I did not know any of them personally.

The expression of their artistic work was what attracted me, I contacted them via social media and they trusted me and the project. Not only a wonderful exhibition was born, but also beautiful relationships of collaboration and friendship. We belong to a very special community, now even more with the help of social media.

A few months ago, I visited Berlin again and met up with fellow artists. I returned home feeling even more fortunate of working with collage and having the consciousness of belonging to a very special universe. The same thing happens, whenever I meet colleagues from the rest of the world.

66

How do you think the use of social media has affected the local collage scene?

The influence of social media in our collective life is really impressive, sometimes overwhelming. It makes our work more accessible to so many people, galleries, and collectors that connect with our art. There is an awesome international collage community online. Social media has allowed us to meet other artists all over the world and that is simply amazing.

I think that platforms like Instagram have done a great job in visualizing the work of artists. An example of this is BCP, through this platform we have discovered that we are more artists working in collage in Germany than we thought we were. It's not just Berlin, there are excellent collagists all over Germany, and we wouldn't have known about them if it wasn't for social media. It feels good to know that we are not islands!

In what way do you think the German collage scene will develop in the future?

Collage belongs to the streets and to the spaces where people walk freely. It reaches all kinds of people. However, I feel that the work of many excellent collagists will find more resonance in other art spaces. Galleries and museums will understand that contemporary collage has earned its place in their spaces, alongside other traditional art forms. Raising the level of collage should be the motto. What today is an exception will become the rule.

Do you have any wishes for the future of the national collage scene?

While it is true that all artists tend to create their work by themselves, I feel that the future of German collage lies in acting collectively. The internet, social networking platforms like BCP, allow us to meet virtually, but I know from my own experience that collage thrives on real encounters, creative conversations, meetings, and exhibitions. It would be wonderful if this could happen all over Germany.

67

BERLIN COLLAGE PLATFORM

#bcp

2021

PART 2 OF 3

ARTIST SHOWCASE Isabel Reitemeyer Holger Becker Florencia Prats Fernanda Porto Eva Gjaltema Eric Costa Kohl Daniel Schaffel D.M. Nagu Christiana Teufel Christian Stork Andrés Galeano Aline Hemcke

70 72 74 76 78 82 84 86 88 90 92 94

69

ISABEL REITEMEYER German artist based in Berlin “I chose these two works because I think they fit the theme of deconstruction best.

But, actually, I could have chosen any other collage, since a collage is always a de- or/and reconstruction.”

Unknown 2020 12 x 16.5 cm Magazines, scissors, scotch tape

70

@

isabelreitemeyer

www.isabel-reitemeyer.com

Tilda | 2020 | 18.5 x 25.6 cm | Magazines, scissors, scotch tape 71

HOLGER BECKER German artist based in Nürnberg “Deconstruction/reconstruction: In the dance of these two forces, movement emerges, something new. Strangeness. It is a principle of life.”

72

@

_holgerbecker

www.holgerbecker.com The Dance 2021 18 x 24 cm Analog paper collage

73

FLORENCIA PRATS Argentinian artist based in Berlin “These two works were a by-product of the pandemic, a constant re- and deconstruction in itself. In “Astral Plane”, a human figure, whose face we can’t see, is the protagonist, enclosed and surrounded by natural elements, raw materials used in construction, in the most basic sense of the word. In “Deconstructed”, I quite literally disassembled yet another human form, a silhouette that I filled with organic matter. There is a sense of anonymity and silent transformation in both works: Passive and active change, a deconstructed victim of circumstances and, simultaneously, master of her domain, motivated to reconstruct and take control.”

Deconstructed 2021 15 x 21cm Analog paper collage

74

@

bicefala_

florenciapcollage.tumblr.com

Astral Plane | 2021 | 15 x 21 cm | Analog paper collage 75

FERNANDA PORTO ART Brazilian/Uruguayan artist based in Berlin “Reconstruction was needed after an intense inside deconstruction. Exploring what might be below the surface of those shells, I am also diving in the search of these objects created inside my unconscious. These fictive objects are artifacts of the transformation to a posthuman digital age, where technology itself has a way of destroying or preserving its own innovation.”

Alone But Connected - C.P | 2021 | 40 x 40 cm | Collage over acid-free fine art photography print 76

@

fernandaportoart

www.fernandaportoart.com

Alone But Connected - C.P | 2021 | 40 x 40 cm | Collage over acid-free fine art photography print 77

EVA GJALTEMA Dutch artist based in Berlin “The series is created with a longing for traveling far away after the pandemic but, at the same time, it comments on the severe changes planet Earth has been through due to us mistreating it.

By applying a 24 carat gold leaf to the reconstructed nature sites of different places in the world, I want to heal, mend and connect these changing corners of the world.”

The Faraway World | 2021 | 20 x 30 cm | Vintage paper and 24 carat gold leaf 78

@

evagjaltemartist www.evagjaltema.org

79

The Faraway World | 2021 | 20 x 30 cm | Paper and photography analog collage 16

The Faraway World | 2021 | 20 x 30 cm | Vintage paper and 24 carat gold leaf 17

ERIC COSTA KOHL Brazilian artist based in Berlin “-Memories- meets the theme in the reconstruction of a dream, and in the search to construct the tangible meaning.

- Sunny- is related to the search for building feelings and a way to remember that there were happy days despite everything.”

Memories | 2021 | 10 x 15 cm | Collage on vintage picture, acrylic painting and embroidery 82

@

berlinstickerei Instagram

Sunny | 2021 | 8,5 x 6,5 cm | Collage on vintage picture and embroidery 83

DANIEL SCHAFFEL German artist based in Frankfurt am Main “I make collages from found objects as well as from older works. Deconstruction exists in several ways: original contexts of found material are dissolved, qualities of some of my own works are reconsidered and works are then taken apart with the purpose of creating new collage material: Deconstruction as the basis of organic reconstruction. In terms of motifs, it is a reproduction of the simple things that are reduced to their essence.”

Untitled | 2019 | 70 x 100 cm | Paper and acrylic 84

@

_danielscheffel_ www.danielscheffel.de

Untitled | 2020 | 100 x 70 cm | Paper and acrylic 85

D.M. NAGU German artist based in Berlin “TRANSPLANTS is an on-going series begun in 2014.

It is inspired by transplantation techniques in plastic surgery in which part of a body is cut out and removed to repair, heal or embellish another part of the body–reconstructing by deconstructing, yielding results of ambivalent beauty.”

Transplants II | 2020 | 12,5 x 18 cm | Analog paper collage 86

@

d.m.nagu

www.d-m-nagu.de

Transplants I | 2020 | 12,5 x 18 cm | Analog paper collage 87

CHRISTIANA TEUFEL German artist based in Stuttgart “For me, the last year was immersing myself, cocooning, peeling off layers, the deconstruction of the self.

The intuitive reassembly of the images pulls them in a new context. Every collage is a deconstruction of the meaning of the image that gets put in a new narrative story that tells me something about myself. In doing so, I also critically question the issue of identity.”

Passive 2021 20 x 29,7 cm Analogue collage

88

@

ode_collage

www.christianateufel.com

Regression | 2021 | 20 x 26 cm | Analogue collage 89

CHRISTIAN STORK German artist based in Hiddenhausen “Two identical selfportraits are in dissolution and thus result in a new inbetween world.”

90

@

velosechsundsechzig Instagram Untitled 2021 40 x 25 cm Different prints, golden color pigments

91

ANDRÉS GALEANO Spanish artist based in Berlin “Both works deconstruct holiday pictures of the 90's in order to create a new image, which is an homage to the anonymous and vernacular photography.”

Unknown Photographers #219 | 2019 | 58 x 58 cm | Unique 92

@

andress_galeano www.andresgaleano.eu

Unknown Photographers #213 | 2017 | 32 x 22 cm | Unique 93

ALINE HEMCKE German artist based in Leipzig “Going about a piece of paper with a scalpel and scissors is a decisive act of deconstruction, but for me not (only) one of destruction. Cutting an image apart dismantles its meaning but awakens something else, something that has been hidden before. It can separate or reveal a void, but it also invites to bring together elements that weren’t meant to ever show up in this constellation. What I love about collage is that it opens up these spaces of ambiguity.”

Natural Flavour 2 | 2020 | 20 x 14 cm | Photo prints from a book about domestic and wild cats 94

@

a.helmcke

www.ahelmcke.com

Natural Flavour 1 | 2020 | 29 x 31 cm | Photo prints from a book about domestic and wild cats 95

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS We would like to express our sincere gratitude to all the artists who trusted us and took part in this Open Call, as well as to all our readers and followers.

We would like to emphasize the participation of Matthieu Bourel, who has delighted us with his fantastic work, which has been selected to be the main image of our front and back cover. Thank you very much Special thanks to artists Kai Holland and Maria Elisa Quiaro, who let us interview them. Thank you for opening up to us with your experience, knowledge, and thoughts.

We would also like to thank and applaud the 32 artists selected for this issue for having provided all the wonderful works and corresponding information. We are very glad to be able to feature your work.

We hope you have fun and enjoy flipping through the following pages.

Sincerely, Berlin Collage Platform

96

BCP ZINE #2 DE/RE-CONSTRUCTION

Ellipsis disambiguation | 2019 | 21 X 15,5 cm | Paper Collage

BACK COVER COLLAGE BY MATTHIEU BOUREL