Initiation

Initiation, when a person first becomes aware of a lack of knowledge or understanding and feelings of uncertainty and apprehension are common (Kuhlthau).

As soon as I read this assignment, I started to think of all the things that I’ve wanted to learn. I don’t feel as apprehensive as Kuhlthau would predict, maybe because we’ve been given the freedom to pick any topic of our choosing. I do feel a familiar worry about choosing a topic with the appropriate scope.

It is very natural, as I think about the task involved in this assignment, to turn to my own experiences and preferences. I like making collaged cards for birthdays, weddings, etc. It seems more personalized and expressive than a store-bought card. Lately I've been feeling kind of in a rut, though, and I am trying to think of how to get some new ideas and inspiration.

Birthday cards I made

I need some examples of types of materials to use, and/or ways to put them together. I could read some books about making collages, or I might get ideas from looking at the work of other artists. I've picked up some card-making books at the library recently, but they didn't seem to offer anything unique. I recognize a lack of knowledge here.

Art and art history are topics I've always wanted to learn more about. I took art history in high school and enjoy visiting art museums. As an undergrad, I took a couple of art history classes at University College Dublin during my semester abroad, but it wasn't a part of my major at Notre Dame. I did take a photography class senior year, and two summers ago I wrote a research paper about Michelangelo for a class I took on the Renaissance.

The Libyan Sibyl, 1508-12, from the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. Wikimedia Commons.

It seems like the work of modern artists would be more applicable to my own projects. As far as artists who work in collage, Henry Darger is one of my favorites. I did some preliminary research on the use of collage in outsider art for my Reference class last year, but didn’t pursue it after the assignment even though I learned some interesting information. I also learned about Picasso and the origins of collage as a fine art in my class on modernism, but I don't remember many details. I don't know much about any other artists who make collages. I have seen some really interesting ones at various museums, but I didn’t make a note of their names.

At this point I am pretty sure I want to do some research on well-known artists who do collage as art instead of reading craft books. I have a clear outcome in mind (making some new cards that are different from what I've made before), but I'm not really sure what the best way to go about achieving it is. I like the idea of doing research that involves reading and looking at art. I wish I had the time to take a “field trip” to a museum in Chicago or Indianapolis. I could look into if any local museums have any examples of collage, or maybe even an exhibit of a local artist.

Some directions I could pursue:

• History of collage as fine art, or alternately more general history of the practice as a “craft”
• What is the difference between collage as a craft and as a fine art?
• What are the different techniques used in collage? Different materials?
• What kinds of messages has collage been used to express?
• How has collage been perceived by art criticism?
• What makes a collage successful?

I am definitely getting a sense of the apprehension Kuhlthau is talking about. As I start to think about my question, a million more arise. It really is a situation of becoming aware of the extent of my own ignorance.