Mutations 3 by Valerie Roybal

Happy November! We always seem to be releasing new work by Valerie Roybal as we're celebrating a change in the seasons—well timed or not, winter's come early to NYC. Thankfully, the pinks, yellows and reds—forming shapes both familiar and newly-found—in Mutations 3 are electric and eclectic comforts to keep the winter blues at bay.

Creating works that are so refreshing is no easy task, as the process of making something new from something old isn't exactly, well, new. Just what keeps contemporary collage interesting is at the heart of a recent interview between Hrag Vartanian (of the art and culture blog Hyperallergic) and Charles Wilkin. The two jump right into it with Vartanian's query: What do you think is unique about collage today, if anything? Charles responds:

One of the exciting things about collage is its primary use of discarded paper media, which ultimately keeps it in motion, constantly changing like a chameleon... I suspect many artists find it alluring for not only its immediacy but its unique and inherent nature to reinvent the familiar into something mysteriously new. Collage also has a long history of integrating itself into political and cultural movements, so it seems natural there’s a collage revival happening in these uncertain times.

Keep reading the interview here for more about contemporary collage. And to visit (or re-visit) more of Valerie's work, peer back to Jen's earlier newsletters. And if you're in New York, see Valerie's originals in person: All That Remains is an international collage exhibition curated by Charles at the Picture Farm's gallery, Ugly Art Room, in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. The exhibition will be on view through November 19th.

Tune in tomorrow, collectors, when I'll be introducing a brand-new-to-20x200 artist. Till then!

— Sara