Art has a complicated relationship with size.

The larger a work of art is, the more importance it’s given. On one level this is perfectly understandable. I remember standing in the Sistine Chapel, head thrown back, staring up at the gigantic figures painted on the ceiling. Despite the crowds, and the people ignoring the repeated requests not to take pictures, it was incredibly moving. I’d not expected an emotional reaction, but I was deeply touched.

Walk through a Richard Serra sculpture, and you feel the massive weathered steel walls surrounding you and building a new space with every step.

Stand in front of a Rothko. Just stand there and look at it. Let it fill your whole visual field.

None of these would have the same effect if they were small enough to hold in your hand. Scale brings weight - psychological, emotion and physical weight - and this is impressive (and leaves and impression).

Small works of art are different.

A thing you can hold in one hand rarely shouts, or demands your attention (though I’d argue that Rothko also doesn’t shout). It’s quieter and easier to ignore, or dismiss. We hold things in our hands every day and most of them don’t mean much.

While I do want to explore making collage at scale, one thing I love about it is how approachable, and human-sized it is. It’s made from everyday materials - things small enough to be seen but overlooked hundreds of times per day - and asks you to look at them again, a bit more closely.

All of the collages in this section are around 6cm x 8cm, found paper, photographs, and linoldruck.