Artsy Wednesday: Collaging Like the Victorians

Last week, Slate published a slideshow of collages currently on view at the Metropolitan Museum of Art (the exhibit, called "Playing with Pictures: the Art of Victorian Photocollage," was originally organized for the Art Institute of Chicago). Though the Victorian period isn't usually my cup of tea, artistically speaking, this particular exhibit is so interesting to me.

As the slideshow notes, the collages are a precursor to cubism, Dada, and surrealism - not to mention (and they don't) modern day scrapbooking. The art of photocollage seems to largely be a hobby of the aristocracy, who by then probably had too much time on their hands - and at least some of them still had a little money. The results, then, are full of social satire, even if we don't get all of the references.

What I love about them most, though, is that they reminded me of just how cool I think collage is, especially in that slightly dark, Nick Bantock kind of way.

Also - food. I think there's a lot of room to do some cool food-related collaging and mapping. If one were so inclined...