MAX STRONG
video gallery visit by austin tovar
Born in Massachusetts and raised there and in Colorado, the collagist Max Strong originally trained as a photographer. He began creating impressionistic collages constructed of found objects during various trips to cities across West Asia and North Africa. He has since honed his skills during residencies in Rajasthan, India, Mumbai, India and Toronto, Canada.
Reflected in the work are contemporary themes of environmental degradation, mass urbanization and wealth disparity. Having spent long periods exploring some of the largest global urban spaces like Delhi, Dhaka, Mumbai, New York and Cairo, Max is inspired by the spontaneous and inadvertent compositions that exist in our urban spaces, whether splashed on billboards or layered on walls.
Collecting materials ranging from movie posters, packaging, political ads and train tickets to weathered pamphlets, Max employs tools to scrape, peel and tear these materials, and then organizes them before assembling them on canvas or wood. The work ranges from intricate cityscapes with an illustrative feel to abstract pieces that focus on the essence of the urban space.
Residencies:
Artscape Gibraltar Point (Toronto Island, Canada) March 2020
Bagdanga Residency (Bagdanda, Maharashtra, India) December 2019-January 2020
Farm Residency (Andore, Rajasthan, India) November 2019
SELECTED WORKS BELOW_
