About Fabmo
This project is brought to you by FabMo.
FabMo is a creative reuse organization. We collect things like fabric, paper, yarn, ribbons, trims and many other things from people and businesses who don’t need them anymore and give them to people like you to use for their creative projects.
We have two important reasons we do this:
Collage with Squares
Jean Arp inspired Collage with Squares
Grades: TK, K, 1
Introduction: The Artist, Jean Arp
Hans Peter Wilhelm Arp, better known as Jean Arp, was born in Strasbourg on 16 September 1886, to a French mother and a German father. He was a sculptor, painter, and poet. He was known as a Dadaist and an abstract artist.
Photograph of Jean Arp, published in De Stijl, vol. 7, nr. 73/74 (January 1926)
Image from Wikipedia
Introduction: About Dada / Dadaism
Dada or Dadaism was an art movement in the early 20th century, with centres in Zürich, Switzerland, New York and Paris.
Developed in reaction to World War I, the Dada movement consisted of artists who rejected the logic, reason, and aestheticism of modern capitalist society, instead expressing nonsense, irrationality, and anti-bourgeois protest in their works.
Raoul Hausmann
ABCD (Self Portrait)
1923-24
Image from kids.kiddle.co
Introduction: Jean Arp’s Untitled Collage
Arp made this work and others like it by tearing paper into pieces, letting them fall, and gluing each scrap where it happened to land. Rather than carefully deciding where each piece should go, he let go of control to the random hand of gravity. The work is resolutely nonreferential: no story, no picture, only torn blue and white paper.*
When you look at this image, what does your eye notice first? Do all the shapes have perfect edges and corners?
Jean (Hans) Arp
Untitled (Collage with Squares Arranged according to the Law of Chance)
1916–17
Image from moma.org
Publication excerpt from MoMA Highlights: 375 Works from The Museum
of Modern Art, New York (New York: The Museum of Modern Art, 2019)
Art Lesson
Today we will explore the following:
For this lesson, we will channel Jean Arp’s technique to create our own collage. We will also use assorted fabric samples, and give over control to gravity and chance while creating our artwork.
Materials
Step-by-Step Instructions
Start with a piece of cardstock, sulphite or construction paper, 9 x 12 or similar, in any color.
Then select two squares of fabric. Pick any colors at random, or select your favorite colors or patterns.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Look at your paper and fabric squares, think about the colors. How do they play with each other? How they look against the paper color? Is the back of the fabric better or the front?
Fold squares in half. Cut. You should get four little rectangles. Embrace any jagged or frayed edges!
Step-by-Step Instructions
Now fold each of the four little rectangles lengthwise in half. Cut again. Count out the eight squares.
Now we have all the pieces ready to start our collage.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Stack your squares and keep to one side.
One at a time, let each square fall on paper. Be random. Don’t try to plan where the square should go!
Carefully lift the square. Glue along the edges of the back. Press down on paper.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Look for negative (or empty) spaces for squares to fall.
Try 2-3 times before deciding on final spot of each square.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Optional, or for early finishers:
Use wallpaper samples to cut or tear out shapes, and use the same technique to add to the collage.
Teacher Tips:
Additional Resources
Book on Sophie Taeuber-Arp, Jean Arp’s Spouse, another Dada artist.
Meet the Artist: Sophie Taeuber-Arp
Written by Zoe Whitley
Illustrated by Lesley Barnes
Developed and Maintained By Fabmo
Date | Name | Comments |
January 2023 | Atreyee Ghosh | Created Lesson |
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