Sans titre (Untitled), 1960
Torn posters on canvas
79.875 x 119.75 inches
Collection of Gordon Locksley and George T. Shea
Raymond Hains's collages are composed of layered posters torn from walls and signboards found in urban public spaces in France. His process was simple but radical; he simply removed large sections of advertisements and announcements from city walls and mounted them on canvas or aluminum, presenting them as readymades. The natural deterioration of the posters gives the artwork a used and worn look, drawing attention to the history trapped between the layers of paper. At the same time, this artifact of consumer and popular culture also functions as an engaging abstract composition of text, color, and texture.