Assemblage History
Assemblage sculpture is a modern form of sculpture that was first created in the 20th century. It combines traditional methods of sculpting with collage to create new and provocative pieces of art. Marcel Duchamp, John Dubuffet, Joseph Cornell and Dale Copeland have all made great contributions in the world of assemblage sculptures.
Marcel Duchamp
Marcel Duchamp was born on July 28, 1887. While he painted some, his most famous painting being "Nude Descending a Staircase, No.2," he may be best known as the father of ready-made art---or assemblage. He worked closely with other artists of his time including Pablo Picasso. His genre of art generally fell within Dadaism, Surrealism and Pop Art.
First Assemblage Sculpture
Duchamp's first ready-made sculpture was made with a toilet urinal and a bottle rack. While the original artwork was lost, a replica is now housed at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. The piece is entitled "Fountain," and it was created in the year 1917. It is an interesting piece that will not appeal to everyone; however, there is no denying it makes a statement.
John Dubuffet
John Dubuffet, while not the first ready-made sculptor, was the first artist to use the term assemblage to describe his work. Dubuffet was mostly active during the mid-part of the 20th century. One of his most controversial assemblage pieces used hundreds of real butterfly wings to cover faces in his artwork.
Joseph Cornell
Joseph Cornell was born in 1903 and died in 1972. According to stateuniversity.com, Cornell was "an American artist and sculptor, one of the pioneers and most celebrated exponents of assemblage." His most well known works were in the form of boxed assemblages of found objects. He also created many flat collages. He is well known for giving his artwork to girls he liked, including ballerinas.
Dale Devereux Copeland
Assemblage art hasn't changed much since its inception. There is still much debate in the art world over what the distinction is between assemblage and collage. However, assemblage artists are still pressing forward and making advances in the world of art. Dale Devereux Copeland is a current artist living in New Zealand. She states on her website that her art comes from the treasures she collects. Devereux says when referring to her art that, "for me their beauty is one of the joys which make life into a glowing jewel in the dust."
