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Australia

Description 2

The work of Melbourne based collage artist Simone Esterhuizen pays homage to the photographers, models and graphic artists whose work lies in discarded source material found in used bookstores, digital marketplaces and garage sales.

The moniker Celluloid Artefacts is a nod to the relics within these volumes of material; forgotten film stars, obsolete products, old technology, and past movements in fashion and decor. It also references the physical element of collage; the process of sourcing material; scouring old books and magazines for the right image, and the act of excavating elements and images for use.

Themes oscillate from loneliness and anonymity to hyper-sexuality, with source material carefully curated to create a collection of work, united by the artist’s interest in using colour to create tones and moods. Objects are sliced, torn, concealed or revealed to create new images with a sense of off-kilter familiarity.

Previously a burlesque performer, Simone initially turned to collage as a refuge from the digital world. She has used collage as a form of escapism, becoming enamoured with the deliberate practice of creating by hand with the absence of digital aid. Through this she has created a body of work that pays homage to Kodachrome soaked images of the Twentieth Century.

Simone is also a co-founder of the Melbourne Collage Assembly.

By day Simone works in content creation, social media management, copy writing and product photography.