Untitled 1974

This collage by Robert Nickle seems to have been made from scavenged paper and humble glue. You can imagine him piecing together found scraps, probably on a tabletop, carefully arranging them, maybe shuffling them around until they spoke to him. I like how it feels like he's making something from almost nothing. There are pale grays and creams, subtle textures, and faint lines – like echoes of things that were once important, now faded and reformed. The work feels like a quiet conversation. It reminds me of Kurt Schwitters’ collages, but more understated, more delicate. You can feel Nickle's hand in the work – the small tears, the slight overlaps, the way the light catches on the surface. It's as though he's inviting us to slow down and really look, to find beauty in the everyday, discarded bits and pieces. I think it's beautiful that artists can transform the mundane into something profound.