Collage Number 12
Esteban Vicente American, born Spain
Not on view
Vicente made his first collages in the summer of 1949, while teaching in California; away from the working environment of his New York studio, he cut up a Sunday newspaper and began assembling its pieces into compositions. Collage would thereafter be a vital component of his art, in an ongoing dialogue with painting. As an Abstract Expressionist, Vicente’s commitment to improvised, abstract arrangements of color and form led him to a vision of collage that eschewed everyday materials. After his initial employment of newspaper clippings, he typically used pieces of hand-painted fine art paper with carefully torn or cut edges. These he positioned with care, making adjustments before gluing them down. Vicente could achieve a wide range of effects, including the solid, architectonic stability of this composition.
