montagemontages

Montagemontages is a term used in contemporary media to describe a method of constructing a single, complex composition by assembling multiple montage fragments from different sources into a unified whole. The approach emphasizes juxtaposition, overlapping timelines, and multi-source imagery, often accompanied by a layered or asynchronous sound design. The term functions as a broad umbrella for works that borrow from traditional montage, collage, and video art and that deliberately foreground the editing process as part of meaning-making.

Practices commonly involve rapid cuts between disparate images, superimposition of visuals, time-lapse sequences, and the integration of still photographs, video clips, and graphic elements. Digital tools enable parallel timelines, masking, and blending modes to create simultaneous narratives or mood-altering composites. The form is used across film, music videos, installations, and online media to explore memory, culture, and information overload, or to critique media systems.

Critics note that montagemontages can challenge viewer comprehension and incentivize active interpretation, while others caution that excessive layering may overwhelm narrative clarity. Proponents argue that the technique mirrors the non-linear ways in which information is encountered in contemporary media.

Related concepts include montage, video collage, and digital montage; notable practices often cite experimental cinema, media art, and postmodern collage as influences.