Andrea Bergen
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Rather than collaging disparate images together, I create one unified image from hundreds of pieces of hand cut paper. The resulting works are like paintings but each brushstroke is a piece of colored pastel paper. While the material itself is flat with little texture, the surface of the collage takes on a sculptural element once enough paper has been layered. The bright, saturated colors and bold graphics give the pictures a playful vivacity that belies the darker subject matter.
The narrative scenes explore the darker side of American culture filtered through a humorous lens. My collages are meant to be funny and enjoyable to look at while addressing my anxiety about our planet and raising issues of unchecked consumption. The pieces examine animal/human interactions and the effects of climate change upon nature. Despite the changed climate, droughts, and risen oceans, the wildlife manages to adapt and thrive. Recognizable products and architecture stand in for humans while animal protagonists create chaos and enjoy their new freedom after man’s self-destruction.
