Eastern Connecticut State University’s Art Gallery has partnered with the National Collage Society (NCS) to display their 2024 Juried Small Collage Exhibition. Supplementing the gallery’s ongoing exhibition “Circe: A Goddess for Our Times,” the NCS collage is on display from Feb. 29 to April 12.  

Collage, a term originating from the French “papier collé” — translated as “glued paper” — is a technique where various elements are composed on a surface. The NCS works to advance “the stature of collage as a major art medium,” according to their website. 

Each of the pieces making up the collage have been sent in by members of the NCS from across the United States and around the world. They take the size and shape of a standard postcard. Artists have the freedom to layer different materials, draw, paint and reimagine the four- by six-inch postcards.  

These powerful collages range from politically cutting, whimsical and nostalgic, profound reflections of self and society and everything in between. 

One such piece came from Hungary. Casaba Pál’s “Untitled” was mailed in as a postcard, allowing the elements and prints of the mail carrier to add to the art. Pál used images of statues and architecture, allowing humans to blend into the space of the card.  

Other images included “Daybreak” by Michelle Foutch, which combines fabrics in thin layers, and a show of unity and joy by Michele R. Unger titled “Jubilee.” 

Gallery assistant and art lecturer Hannah Petrikovsky explained the set-up of the new exhibit. The process of organizing each piece, known as the “art of curation,” requires a great deal of thought and planning.  

Initially, the installation was going to be in the corner of the gallery. This would both hide the collages and force the pieces to be far above eye-level. Petrikovsky noted that this would be overwhelming to the audience and impractical for an enjoyable viewing of the collection. 

With the help of university assistant Lisa Marie Soltren ’20, Petrikovsky worked to carefully place each piece and create a space where the art could be appreciated — along the glass walkway of the gallery’s entrance. Doing so lets the pieces be seen from the hallway, drawing students and faculty into the gallery, and allows viewers to look closely at each piece. 

Taking in the complete exhibition, Petrikovsky said, is “like finishing a painting.”