Collage 

This collage was created by Gherasim Luca, a Romanian surrealist artist known for his provocative ideas. It's made by carefully cutting up and reassembling a pre-existing image, likely a reproduction of a historical portrait. The act of collage itself is crucial here. Luca takes a symbol of traditional art, with all its associations of skill, status, and history, and literally breaks it apart. Notice how he disrupts the coherent image of the woman, obscuring her face and deconstructing her identity. The way the pieces are re-arranged brings a new sense of disjointedness. Luca seems to question the very idea of representation, and the value placed on traditional artistic skill. The final effect isn't simply destructive; it's a re-imagining. By manipulating a mass-produced image, Luca pushes against the traditional hierarchy of artistic production. He asks us to reconsider how meaning is constructed, and the relationship between art, labor, and the wider social context. It's a powerful reminder that making and materials are always central to meaning.