Kollaasia

Kollaasia is the Finnish term for the visual art technique of collage, the process of creating an image by assembling cut or found materials such as paper, photographs, fabric, and other ephemera. The word kollaasia is the genitive/partitive form of kollaasi, used in Finnish to refer to the activity or its results. The term itself is borrowed from the French collage, which derives from the verb coller “to glue.”

Technique and materials: In traditional collage, artists cut and arrange materials on a support such as paper, board, or canvas and fix them with adhesive. Common methods include layering, tearing, and overlapping imagery. Digital collage uses image editing software to simulate or replace physical materials, enabling complex layering and seamless integration. Applications include fine art, illustration, graphic design, and education.

History and figures: Collage emerged in the early 20th century with Cubist artists Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque, and was further developed by Dada and Surrealist artists such as Hannah Höch and Romare Bearden. Throughout the 20th century, collage played a central role in movements from Pop Art to artists’ books. In contemporary practice, artists combine traditional methods with digital tools, found objects, and mixed media.

Impact and context: Kollaasia spans fine art, graphic design, education, and therapy. It enables recontextualizing images, exploring memory and identity, and creating multi-layered narratives. Ethical considerations include copyright and consent for source imagery, and the reuse of found material.