The concept of collage permeates every facet of modern culture, from the saturation of signs and images to the layers of digital information and the practice of sampling in art. This exhibit explores the origins of collage and its transformation into both a core aesthetic technique in architectural representation and a cultural phenomenon characterized by layering, juxtaposition, and remixing that shapes urban environments. Beginning with the seamless digital collages prevalent in contemporary architecture, the exhibition juxtaposes them with early photo-collages by Mies van der Rohe and avant-garde experiments in photomontage, graphic design, and film. Colin Rowe and Fred Koetter’s “Collage City” (1978), a seminal urban manifesto, serves as a framework for recontextualizing modern uses of collage. As a versatile architectural tool, collage blends high and popular culture references, providing a dynamic and inventive link to cultural contexts. Curated by Pedro Gadanho and Phoebe Springstubb from the Department of Architecture and Design.
