Civilisation Collage, Foreword: only a few great men can be named
Civilisation Collage, Foreword: only a few great men can be named
One-of-a-kind, original artwork, 2025
24.5 x 17cm
Paper, PVA, thread
Intended for my recent exhibition at the Barbican Library in London, but unfinished at the time of installation. I used discarded magazines and the book ‘Civilisation’ by Kenneth Clark. First published by John Murray/BBC in 1969, this edition printed in 1971. Bought for 50p from a charity shop.
That’s the book to accompany the ancient TV series, responsible for my questionable early art education (didn’t include female artists). I turned each page (along with old museum magazines, and the like - see below) into a collage.
Made entirely from ‘leftovers’ from other ‘Civilisation Collages’ (Pages i, ii, 6, 73, 86, 105, 151, 168, 270, 277, 297 and 329).
The face is Ronnie Cox in Deliverance, 1972. Directed by John Boorman. Cinematography by Vilmos Zsigmond. Cut from Great Movies, Octopus Books for Marks and Spencer, 1985. Printed in Hong Kong by Mandarin Press. ISBN 0862732379.
The green is the grass background of Piss Flowers by Helen Chadwick, 1991-2. Photo by Tate/ Seraphina Neville from the installation at Tate Modern, 2024. Cut from an article (Say it with Piss Flowers) in which Holly Connolly, Cosey Fanni Tutti, Anya Gallaccio, Sylvia Legris and Nicolas Deshayes share words of appreciation. Tate Etc, Winter 2024, Issue 64.
The ‘bear-head-shape’ is from Artwork by Mike Kelley, The David Geffen Company, 1992. Cut from ‘Dirty: A Love Letter’, an article by Susan Finlay about the influence of Mike Kelley. Tate Etc, Winter 2024, Issue 64. The purple is from Do Ho Suh, Hub series at the Museum of Contemporary Art Astral, 2022. Tate Members’ Guide, Apr-May-Jun 2025. Walking The House, Tate Modern, May - Oct 2025.
The pink is from an image of Leigh Bowery dressed as a Christmas pudding for one of a series of cards produced in 1987 (Get Started Cards, 23 Beak St, London). Photo by Johnny Rozza, styling by Clive Ross. Tate Etc, Winter 2024, Issue 64.
The ‘fire’ to the left is from Timeless Painting #9 by Mike Kelley, 1995. Photo: Mike Kelley Foundation for the Arts. ‘Mutant Mike’, article by Charlie Fox. Tate Etc, Autumn 2024, Issue 63.
The title comes directly from Clark’s text.
Price includes UK postage, and a 5% donation to Arts Emergency.
Copyright: Alison Aye, 2025.