Ridiculous Portrait (Cello, Cherub) 1972

May Wilson, who lived from 1905 to 1986, made this “Ridiculous Portrait (Cello, Cherub)” by collaging and juxtaposing various images and elements to create a new and humorous composition. I can imagine May cackling away as she pasted her portrait onto this renaissance-era body playing a cello. It is like she is breathing new life into a forgotten canvas! The original artwork underneath is like a support structure for her to bounce off – the classical aesthetic and the presence of cherubs create a funny contrast with May's distinctly modern, mischievous sensibility. I love the way collage allows artists to play with context and meaning, to have a visual conversation across time. The way she took existing images and re-worked them into something new is really inspiring, don't you think? It's like the artistic equivalent of remixing a song.