Uelsmann, Jerry. Untitled. 1988. Obscura Gallery, https://www.obscuragallery.net/product/jerry-uelsmann-untitled-1988/.
In Jerry Uelsmann’s ‘Untitled’ from 1988, we see a very crisp and well compiled montage of a cabin house being approached by two figures in a boat. This cabin house seems like an early colonial building, however the interesting thing about the building’s placement in the middle foreground is that it is surrounded by water. Upon first glance, I thought I was seeing a house in the middle of a small island surrounded by water (potentially from flooding) however, it is quite the opposite. The house is actually resting in a pool of water and there is steep land all around its perimeter. It’s like the banks of a shore have been reversed. The small boat the figures are in is facing the house, where a path of light is present. Another interesting detail is actually in the background which is the barren trees. The tree limbs and trunk are subtly highlighted with white along one of their edges, suggesting that there is a light source behind the house which makes the overall analytic experience more interesting. Finally, the addition of the white dove flying in the high sky over the house and boat is quite the standout piece and also draws your eye upwards after initially looking at the lower placed subjects.
Taylor, Maggie. In Good Company. 2022. Slate Gray Gallery. https://www.slategraygallery.com/artworks/categories/2/806-maggie-taylor-in-good-company-2022/.
In Maggie Taylor’s “In Good Company” from 2022, we see an interesting collage with a zebra and a man standing side by side. One of the first details that struck me and intrigued me was actually one of the smallest; the bluebird perched on the zebra’s back. Although there is a lot going on in the piece, the color palette is somewhat muted with only dark yellows, black, white, and some orange tints. As such, the bright flash of blue color created by this very minute detail of the bird really captured my attention and made me spend more time observing the rest of the piece. In the foreground there is an interesting dichotomy between the zebra wearing a top hat and the man dressed in formal clothing and a blazer with zebra print on it. The shared characteristics between the zebra and man suggest comradery and affiliation between the two, perhaps they work together in the same circus act. A detail not immediately apparent is another two zebras and a woman standing in the background, only seen under the main zebra. Looking past the main focus of the foreground, the additional zebras and woman might suggest that this could be on a farm of zebras with a background reminiscent of the sahara desert or somewhere else in Africa with the two humans tending to their livestock. Overall, the stark color palette actually lends itself well to realizing the additional background details and in the end, the aspect that might first draw you into the piece (in my case the bluebird) is actually forgotten after initial view.
Uelsmann’s and Taylor’s techniques for blending their compositions work really well because they create a cohesive piece that looks immensely different from collages where less emphasis is placed on blending. As such, they have a lot of pieces between the two of them which have their own unique style and also complement each other.