Two-Color Collage

Sophie Taeuber-Arp designed these prints. She was associated with the Dada art movement and married to one of its founders, Jean Arp. The Dada art movement included poetry, visual arts and performances. This kind of art was often funny and sometimes confusing. Dada artists were reacting to World War I. They were trying to rethink the world by showing how things could be different and unexpected.

Taeuber-Arp created these prints after the Dada art movement. They are examples of geometric abstract art. That means they do not look like any person, thing or place. What is one word you would use to describe these prints?

Sophie Taeuber-Arp (Swiss, 1889 – 1943), 1933-3 Composition à rectangles, cercles, carré et carré de cercles, from an untitled portfolio of 10 prints after original works by Sophie Taueber-Arp, 1957. Color serigraph on heavy paper, 11 7/8 × 11 7/8 inches (each). Georgia Museum of Art, University of Georgia; Museum purchase with funds provided by Martha R. Daura. GMOA 2020.44.7.

In this activity, you’ll use ordinary objects to make a two-color paper collage

For this activity you will need:

Two colors of paper
Glue
Scissors

To make your collage:

Decide what color your background paper will be.
Cut your second color into interesting shapes. Try cutting the same shape in different sizes or cutting new shapes no one has ever seen before.
When you have a few shapes, glue them to your paper.
Cut and glue more shapes as needed.
Make a set of at least two collages.