Collage Kit by Minna Gilligan
Inspired by trips to the op shop and thrifted treasures, Minna Gilligan’s new book, Collage Kit, includes an extensive collection of creative materials to help you discover the art of collage in all its nostalgic and colour-filled glory.
Words: Hande Renshaw I Photography: Courtesy of Minna Gilligan
‘Colour has always been my language, I’m not entirely sure why that is, exactly. I’m just attracted to those kind of technicolour, acidic, candy colours, like super-saturated and full on. I’m very much of the persuasion that more is more, and I suppose colour assists with realising that vision,’ says Minna Gilligan. Photo: Courtesy of Minna Gilligan
‘I am a collector at heart, an Antiques Roadshow watcher, someone who loves the power that second hand objects and pieces of clothing can hold,’ says Minna Gilligan. Photo: Courtesy of Minna Gilligan
‘I love 1970s soft rock and country songs for dreamy, out of context lyrics - and visuals from the 1960s and 1970s where the usage of colour and pattern was unapologetic.’ Photo: Courtesy of Minna Gilligan
Naarm/Melbourne-based Australian artist Minna Gilligan is drawn to 1970s soft rock, country songs and visuals from the 1960s and 1970s, ‘where the usage of colour and pattern was completely unapologetic,’ says Minna.
Minna’s practice speaks of fleeting, personal encounters with the past and present, and manifests in a tumultuous reconciliation of both. Her works are playgrounds of colour, evoking a nostalgic romanticism. ‘The aesthetics of the past in general fascinate me and always have, from dressing up for “old fashioned day” in primary school to now with my piles of old swap cards, postcards, photographs, and vintage clothing,’ she says.
Inspiration comes from disparate corners in Minna’s life, ‘Often a common vernacular phrase can birth a whole exhibition, and other times it’s a methodical building up of found imagery that fits into a certain theme or niche that is the starting point to an artwork,’ shares Minna.
Minna’s latest book, Collage Kit, is filled with over 1000 items to cut out, including bespoke illustrations and hand-painted backgrounds by Minna, which sit among vintage cakes, blooming flowers, absurd knick- knacks, 60s postcards, abandoned family pictures, wild animals and quirky slogans. ‘What I love about collage is that it can give some context to my otherwise abstract works of art. I can inhabit my playgrounds of colour with protagonists, characters, florals and objects.’
Minna’s focus for the book was on championing art-making and collage into a friendly medium for artists and non-artists alike, ‘I think there’s an unselfconsciousness when approaching this medium as you don’t need to get caught up in ideas of needing to achieve photo realist or representational artworks for an artwork to be considered “good” or “successful”’.
Creating an artwork using collage allows us to be in the moment and focus on the physicality of making and working with the materials in front of us – all we need is a pair of scissors and a glue stick to bring to life the perfect card for a friend, a vision board for our next trip or simply a remarkable collage creation to get lost in. ‘It truly is for beginners and artists alike, to sit down, relax, and extract beautiful images into something even more beautiful,’ she says.
Colour plays a big part in Minna’s artwork – the pages of the book include a world of bold, technicolour tones we want to dive straight into. ‘Colour has always been my language, I’m not entirely sure why that is, exactly. I’m just attracted to those kind of acidic, candy colours. I’m very much of the persuasion that more is more, and I suppose colour assists with realising that vision.’
Collage Kit by Minna Gilligan is published by Thames & Hudson Australia, RRP $29.99. Available where all good books are sold and online.
For beginners and artists alike, all you need is a pair of scissors and a glue stick to bring to life the perfect card for a friend, a vision board for your next trip or simply a remarkable collage creation to get lost in. Photo: Courtesy of Minna Gilligan
‘What I love about collage is that it can give some context to my otherwise abstract works of art – I can inhabit my playgrounds of colour with protagonists, characters, florals and objects.’ Photo: Courtesy of Minna Gilligan
“I think there is an unselfconsciousness when approaching this medium – you don’t need to get caught up in ideas of needing to achieve photo realist or representational artworks for work to be considered ‘good’ or ‘successful’.”
‘The aesthetics of the past in general fascinate me and always have, from dressing up for “old fashioned day” in primary school to now with my piles of old swap cards, postcards, photographs, and vintage clothing.’ Courtesy of Minna Gilligan
Minna Gilligan's latest book, Collage Kit, is filled with over 1000 items to cut out, including bespoke illustrations and hand-painted backgrounds by Minna. Photo: Courtesy of Minna Gilligan
Mystery to Me by Minna Gilligan. Photo: Courtesy of Minna Gilligan & Daine Singer Gallery
‘I spent my teens op shopping vintage clothes and at some point I started looking at the book section at the op shops, too. My first point of interest were old National Geographic magazines – I found a whole bunch from the 1920s and I was fascinated at the quality of the imagery.’ Photo: Courtesy of Minna Gilligan
