Collage Fantastique! 1,000 Queer Things to Snip and Stick

Belgian artist Platel debuts in English with a whimsical guide to collage art. Formerly a hairdresser and “go-go dancing drag queen,” Platel shares how he turned to collaging during the Covid-19 pandemic, when his scissors “were screaming to be picked up” again. He immediately fell in love with the artform, and as a gay man, found it an ideal medium for expressing queerness. Deconstructing existing images to put together a new narrative, he says, is a “queer, subversive act.” Many other artists in the LGBTQ+ community have turned to the art form, Platel demonstrates, highlighting the work of several queer collage artists, like Zach Grear and Carlos Marló. Platel walks readers through how to make their own collages, advising them to use heavyweight paper as the background, gel glue to paste images, and a roller to prevent glued images from bubbling. The images are “the heart and soul” of a collage, he explains, urging crafters to use anything that speaks to them. The book contains hundreds of images that can be cut out and arranged, including photos of drag artists, Pride flags, disco balls, crowns, flowers, butterflies, cocktails, skulls, and desserts. Filled with intriguing background on collage history and an abundance of fun and eccentric cutouts, this will resonate with queer crafters eager to express themselves. (May)