Collage and email seem an odd couple but they are not. Today, we have the pleasure of sharing an interview with the Denver-based artist Mario Zoots who runs Collé, a project that sends out daily emails featuring the incredible collage art of artists from around the globe.
TWS –Hi Mario, can you tell us about Collé, the latest project that you’ve been curating?
MZ –Hi Max! Collé is an email series exploring the world of contemporary collage published each weekday morning. Our goal is to introduce our subscribers to exciting new artists, presenting and discussing their work in a way that feels elevated while remaining accessible.
We have a small team working on this project. I’m the curator, Lewis Caldwell is our producer, and Nicholas Pardon is our founder. Our team is part of Atelier Pardon.
Collé is our latest project to build community and awareness around contemporary collage and advance our larger mission to research the medium and philosophy while building the most comprehensive collection in the world today.
TWS –I love the project’s name. Can you tell us something about it?
MZ –We came up with the name based on the art term Papier Collé, which is a French term that translates as “pasted paper”. Georges Braque and Pablo Picasso made a number of papiers collés between 1912 and 1913, with Picasso substituting the wood-grain paper favored by Braque with pages from the newspaper Le Journal in an attempt to introduce the reality of everyday life into the pictures. Picasso also developed the idea of the papier collé into a three-dimensional assemblage when he made Guitar in 1912. These works laid the foundation for collage as we know it today.
TWS –Why on email? What’s the thought behind that decision?
MZ –The way most people have been discovering new contemporary art for a number of years has been through Instagram. But as of late, static images of 2D art are being pushed into the background in favor of video-based content. Specifically, Instagram is bringing Reels to the forefront of the algorithm. In this way, a lot of artists’ work is not being seen the way it used to be. Delivering curated artwork to the inbox allows artists to be viewed in a different way and on an alternative platform. The inbox aligns with our editorial approach to sharing ideas and creativity, and gives us freedom to present our curatorial vision without compromise.
TWS –Tell us about your curatorial approach for Collé? What are you interested in sharing with your audience?
MZ –Collage is a democratic medium that all can participate in and create with. In this way, we want to share the work of a diverse group of artists from all parts of the world, of all genders and backgrounds. I’ve been participating in the contemporary collage scene for almost 20 years, so I am also including the work of artists I’ve exhibited with and have had a dialogue with over the years. We see collage as a philosophy that expands beyond the medium, and we are hoping to start a conversation not only about what collage is, but what it can become.
TWS –Will you focus on paper collage or are you planning to show digital collage too?
MZ –Most of the work we’ve shown so far is analog collage, but we’ve featured digital work too. Our intention for this publication is to show collage in all of its many forms. I’m interested in exploring assemblage, video, site specific installation, and even exploring how collage manifests in other media such as fashion or music.
TWS –Can people submit their work to be evaluated?
MZ –Yes! At the bottom of each email is a line that says: ‘Submit your work to be considered for an upcoming issue.’ If you follow this link, you will be directed to our Typeform an artist can submit their work for consideration.
We recently launched a new addition to our Friday issues that features 5 to 10 additional artworks offering more opportunity for artists in the collage community.
TWS –Is this the first step of a larger plan you have in mind? Or you’d rather keep it the way it is?
MZ –Collé is the first project of Collage Inc., a larger entity that will come more into shape in 2023. Without saying too much yet, we are planning to host some events next year, and are already working towards a collage exhibition for 2024.
TWS –How do you envision the project in the next 3 years? What would you like to achieve?
MZ –We plan to continue our larger pursuit of researching and collecting collage. The intention is to continue discovering new artists, and publishing issues of Collé to share that art with the world. Our hope is to expand our base of enthusiasts and collectors, connecting them with artists, deepening the community in fruitful and mutually beneficial ways and paving the way for generations to come.
Subscribe to collé here and follow their instagram feed for news and updates.
