Par Avion 2005

Barton Lidice Benes made this wonderful collage, "Par Avion", out of paper and found objects. It's like a playful game with visual language, where each little piece feels carefully chosen. The texture of the paper is so immediate. You can almost feel the ridges and tears. The torn edges of the paper create this great handmade feel, which is very intimate. It reminds me that art making is always a process, a real, tangible thing. Look at the central panel, with the words “Par Avion” painted on it. This gesture anchors the entire composition and hints at the broader themes of travel and communication that ripple through the work. The way the individual collage elements interact with each other, their spatial relationships, creates a rhythm that feels very musical. Benes reminds me a little of Kurt Schwitters, another artist who loved to collect and assemble found materials into collages. Like Schwitters, Benes transforms the everyday into something poetic and profound. For me, “Par Avion” is a reminder that art is always in conversation with itself, remixing and reinterpreting old ideas in new and exciting ways.