Collage is ancient, with roots going back to the invention of paper in East Asia.

In 12th century Japan, paper was used for calligraphy, and artists pasted different papers, fabrics and torn elements alongside their writing. They were interested in how calligraphy could be amplified or accentuated through different graphic compositions.

Paper was introduced to Europe during the late Middle Ages, when texts were painstakingly copied onto paper by hand. Around 1440, Johannes Gutenberg’s invention of movable type for letterpress printing created a huge demand for paper. Over the next few hundred years printing on paper spread around Europe.

By 1702, the world’s first daily newspaper was published, the Daily Courant, so cheap it could be thrown away – or, perhaps, used in creative ways – at the end of the day.

The word collage is from the French coller, “to glue” or “to stick together”. The artform was popularised by European artists in the early 20th century responding to the chaos of war such as George Braque, Hannah Höch and Pablo Picasso.

When they saw newspapers, propaganda posters and flyers, they saw art materials. Rearranged on a canvas, this work could subvert fascism and critique totalitarian regimes.

Collage is relatively cheap, fast and........

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