Collage

Emmanuel Hele first discovered collage in an art class in the late 90s. He was struck by the honest nature of the art form; it felt like an allegory for life - disparate pieces coming together in unpredictable ways to create a strange yet cohesive whole.

At the time, sculpture and painting had his attention; then came henna, followed by tattoo, and for years collage stayed mostly on the sidelines, making occasional appearances in mixed media works and personal projects. But he never forgot about it, and over time he amassed volumes of materials from abandoned places, forgotten corners of junk shops, and piles no one else wanted to look through.

In 2019, disenchanted with certain aspects of tattoo culture and in need of inspiration, Emmanuel began going through his materials and breathing new life into these pieces of the past; they in turn breathed new life into his creative process. He started with images he felt pulled toward, and strange stories began to unfold. Some pieces seemed absurd, some felt profound; all had something to say. Most importantly, they brought a sense of adventure and play back into his art at a time when it seemed like the tattoo world had lost its sense of humor.

Each piece is unique and has many tales to tell. Aside from our personal narratives of the images, the materials bring together strange and diverse histories - many dating back a century or more.

Emmanuel has personally reclaimed all collage materials from second hand sources, junk piles, urban exploration, and other adventures. In addition, he uses post-consumer collage medium when available, making many of his works 100% upcycled.

If you would like to know more about a specific work, please reach out!

Custom mixed media works are available upon request, and can include personal effects and materials of the client’s choosing.

Also available for commissions in other mediums.