Belgian artist Sammy Slabbinck creates surreal collages and illustrations that somewhat unexpectedly combine vintage photographs with contemporary compositional styles. Friskily distorting proportion and cultural context, he likes to play around with different styles and proportions with the aim of creating powerful yet simple visual works. The artist has always been attracted to the graphics and imagery of the 1950s to 1970s. Cutting out the images is a painstaking process. Sammy puts a lot of care in doing so – one small detail can ruin a picture. Structuring the images is the hardest part. He always tries not to repeat himself too much, trying to find new ways to create a balance between different elements. His eye for muted tones and surreal compositions make his work engaging, memorable and sometimes humorous. Collage offers “complete freedom”, he explains. “You can combine found elements endlessly, old and new, and make up a whole new imaginary world.”
