The Color & the Shape

A collaboration between Calico Wallpaper and Philippe Malouin, The Color and the Shape transforms an expansive wall space into an interactive surface for collage. The installation is constructed from a library of hand-cut forms containing a set number of shapes in specific colors and sizes. Made from materials that are eclectic, textured, and over-sized, these select shapes are then dropped onto a background of color, creating na unscripted arrangement.

The idea originated out of experiments in creating shapes by tearing paper by hand. We were drawn to the characteristics that evolved out of the inherent inaccuracies of the process of tearing paper, when compared to the precision of cutting or drawing. We then began to overlay the resulting organic forms to create a large-scale collage.

Taking inspiration from Matisse’s Cut-Outs and the technique he described as ‘carving into color,’ the installation offers an immersion in simple shapes and textures. Each shape is mounted using minimal, impermanent materials that allow for easy relocation, drawing attention to the ephemeral nature of the composition and suggesting alternate possibilities. By separating each element into a distinctive layer, The Color and the Shape highlights the parts that make up the whole, inviting investigation, play, and discovery.

Photography by Charlie Schuck

This collection is now available as a custom product.
Please contact sales@calicowallpaper.com for details.