Found materials

DEFINITION

An image, material, or object, not originally intended as a work of art, that is obtained, selected, and exhibited by an artist, often without being altered in any way. The cubists, dadaists, and surrealists originated the use of found images / materials / objects. Although it can be either a natural or manufactured image / material / object, the term readymade refers only to those which were manufactured. Also known in the French, objet trouv?.Examples of works incorporating found materials: Pablo Picasso (Spanish, 1881-1973), Bottle of Vieux Marc, Glass, Guitar and Newspaper, 1913, collage and pen and ink on blue paper, 46.7 x 62.5 cm, Tate Gallery, London. Collages typically include found materials, and Picasso is credited with pioneering it. See Cubism and still life.Quote: "Not everything is art, but everything is art supplies." Lew Alquist (1946-2005), American sculptor and art educator. Quoted by Jim White, fellow sculptor and colleague at Arizona State University, in a text published for a 2006 restrospective of Alquist's work.Also see aleatory and aleatoric, collage, memorabilia, mixed media, photomontage, pique assiette (also called picassiette), and tear sheet.