【Book Introduction】
Vitamin C+ is an authoritative international survey dedicated to contemporary collage art, showcasing 108 active collage artists from around the world. Curated through nominations by 69 influential art experts—including museum directors, curators, critics, and collectors—this volume offers not only a comprehensive overview of the collage medium but also a profound reflection of evolving artistic practices and conceptual trends in contemporary art.
Collage is a creative language built on fragmentation, reassembly, and the unexpected. By combining found imagery, everyday objects, and surprising juxtapositions, collage opens up new ways of visual storytelling and thought. Although it was introduced into modern art in the early 20th century by movements such as Cubism and Dada, the past decade has seen a powerful resurgence of the medium, with artists using it to explore urgent themes such as politics, identity, gender, culture, and memory.
Published in this timely context, Vitamin C+ presents the work of these artists in an A–Z format, covering a wide range of approaches—from analog cut-and-paste techniques and photomontage to digital collage and animation. The selection includes widely recognized figures such as Njideka Akunyili Crosby, Wangechi Mutu, Ellen Gallagher, Christian Marclay, Peter Kennard, Martha Rosler, and Mickalene Thomas, as well as numerous emerging and mid-career artists whose work is gaining increasing attention on the global stage.
The book features a compelling introductory essay by collage authority Yuval Etgar, who provides in-depth insight into the history, formal characteristics, and conceptual evolution of collage, revealing its unique position in the landscape of contemporary visual culture. Each artist is introduced alongside selected works and background information, offering a vibrant portrait of collage as both a liberating and deliberate mode of artistic expression.
The 69 nominating experts include prominent names such as Cecilia Alemani (Artistic Director, Venice Biennale), Max Hollein (Director, The Metropolitan Museum of Art), Christine Macel (Chief Curator, Centre Pompidou), Scott Rothkopf (Deputy Director, Whitney Museum of American Art), and Russell Tovey (artist and collector), reflecting the broad and influential scope of this survey.
Vitamin C+ is not only an inspiration for practicing artists, but also an invaluable resource for scholars, designers, educators, and anyone interested in the language of contemporary image-making. Through this volume, readers can witness how collage has evolved far beyond its origins as a cut-and-paste technique, becoming a dynamic response to the image-saturated, fragmented realities of today’s world. It is a powerful tool for breaking down boundaries and reassembling new ways of seeing—a true classic in the making.
【Book Details】
Author: Phaidon Editors
Publisher: Phaidon Press
Publication Year: 2023
Dimensions: 30 × 25 cm
Binding: Hardcover
Pages: 304 pages
