Untitled 1939

This collage by Karel Teige presents various figures and objects pasted onto a map. You know, when I look at a collage like this, I try to imagine the artist at work, cutting and pasting. What was Teige thinking? Was he just playing around, or was there something more to it? The juxtaposition of a body with internal organs showing, alongside the Sphinx, and a woman’s head feels both playful and surreal. Then there's the figure about to throw a ball, the head replaced by a sliced geode. The map is not just a background, it’s almost like another layer of meaning. Maybe it is about place, history, or the human body as a landscape to be explored. I think collage, like painting, is a way for artists to explore their inner and outer worlds. Artists are always in conversation with each other, building on ideas and pushing boundaries.