| Ripped and Torn is an arcade of unique artworks that appear to be sliced and diced with a scalpel, torn and ripped by hand, and assembled from non-logical parts by 24 whimsical artists who set out to create the aesthetic illusion of a magical world conjured up from the depths of their subconsciousness. Today collage has re-emerged as an exciting challenge to contemporary painting, recreating and reinventing the techniques of chance operation, cut and paste, image poetry, and computer manipulation. Destroying, deconstructing, and reassembling imagery produces new, totally different, and amazing results. These post-surrealist collagists use media sampling for their uniquely crafted artwork, often experimenting in the fourth dimension with words and strong textures of textiles, handmade paper, and objects. | 
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Valery Oisteanu and Jeffrey Cyphers Wright
Courtesy of the artist.
Ripped and Torn is an arcade of unique artworks that appear to be sliced and diced with a scalpel, torn and ripped by hand, and assembled from non-logical parts by 24 whimsical artists who set out to create the aesthetic illusion of a magical world conjured up from the depths of their subconsciousness.
Today collage has re-emerged as an exciting challenge to contemporary painting, recreating and reinventing the techniques of chance operation, cut and paste, image poetry, and computer manipulation. Destroying, deconstructing, and reassembling imagery produces new, totally different, and amazing results. These post-surrealist collagists use media sampling for their uniquely crafted artwork, often experimenting in the fourth dimension with words and strong textures of textiles, handmade paper, and objects. The curators are Valery Oisteanu and Jeffrey Cyphers Wright, both poets, art critics, and artists from the East Village who have helmed controversial group exhibits before, showcasing local talent, and mentoring many new artists in the form of collage through exquisite corpses workshops and numerous publications.
Participating artists in Ripped and Torn include John Evans, the dean of East Village collage, displays his exquisite compositions of found objects alongside the works of his daughter India Evans, a new star in the collage constellation. Amy Ernst comes from four generations of artists, and has a knack for producing phantasmagorical collages and books. Charles Mingus III combines digital imagery with political satire, and creates surreal sculptural works. Angelo Jannuzzi’s erotic collages light up the mirrors of our desires and ignite our suppressed urges. Rakien Nomura experiments with different handmade colored papers as a field for Van Gogh’s black birds. Allen Sheinman offers multilayered dreamscapes via curiously sculpted paper. Sali Taylor combines clusters of Cycladic images embracing sensual females. Micci Cohan’s colorful 3D assemblages open a Pandora’s box of spirits and laughter. Lucien Dulfan paints cosmic encounters, and adds collages of textiles and paper with a playful theme. Valery Oisteanu presents surreal assemblages of object trouve as time capsules of the East Village.
