From Fragmented to Complete: Isabel Reitemeyer on Collage and Resilience

In a recent interview with We The Cool Magazine, Isabel Reitemeyer, a Berlin-based collage artist, shares insights into her life, creative process, and artistic evolution. Originally trained in various creative fields like graphic design and set design, Isabel’s work is deeply influenced by principles of composition and color design, skills she honed throughout her diverse career. Over time, her focus shifted to collage art, which she describes as an intuitive process that allows her to explore themes of imperfection and individuality.

When asked about resilience, Isabel connects her art to the concept, likening the act of piecing together fragmented materials to the human experience of finding strength in brokenness.

All images provided for this article are courtesy of the artist

We The Cool: Tell us who Isabel Reitemeyer is besides a collage artist? What’s life like for you in Berlin? We’d love to hear about your favorite spots to relax, find inspiration, or enjoy a great meal—what makes these places special to you?
Isabel Reitemeyer: Oh, difficult question. I'd say I'm a rather thoughtful person, I like to move around and meet up with friends, for example, for a walk, a drink, or a meal. My favorite place to eat is Mom's Creation in Treptow. It's a vegan restaurant, the food is consistently delicious, it's always beautifully presented, it's cozy, and the service is always very nice! It doesn't get any better than this. 
I like to go for a walk along the Wall Trail, which is right next to my house. I'm interested in German history, especially about the division and the people behind it. That always touches me a lot. Apart from that, I really enjoy being out and about in Kreuzberg 36, especially since I've been living further out due to gentrification. Kreuzberg 36 feels like home to me. I feel good there. You can still feel the punk and rock'n'roll spirit from back then. At least a little bit. 
I love sitting there on Heinrichplatz (now Rio-Reiser-Platz), for example, having a drink, talking and watching, especially in summer when the sun goes down. I'm actually inspired by everything that surrounds me. The prerequisite for everything is, of course, desire and a clear head, which usually comes from running, swimming or other outdoor activities.

WTC: You’ve worked in various creative fields, from window dressing to graphic design and set design, before deciding to focus on collage art. How did your experience in those areas shape your artistic approach, and what was it about collage that ultimately drew you in?
IR: In all areas, whether shop windows, stage design or graphic design, it is (almost) always about composition (golden ratio) and color design. This is also crucial when combining different elements in a collage.  So I think that the experiences and skills I have gained in these areas always flow into my collage art in some way.
I would also say that collage came to me. I didn't decide to do it right away. It all developed over time. But mainly, my artistic approach has been shaped and influenced by different movements, personal experiences, and interests such as music and art (Dadaism, Minimalism, Fluxus, Art Brut, etc.).

WTC: We can see that your work follows the “less is more” rule. How do you decide when an artwork is complete?
IR: If it fits and nothing more interferes and/or needs to be added.

WTC: Tell us about your creative process. How would you start a new project?
IR: I'm always inspired by the material/image. I browse through books and magazines, and if I like something, I cut it out. Then, if something totally grabs me, I follow it up and go on the hunt to get new material on the subject. Then I keep going until I get bored of it and/or discover something else/new.

WTC: What does the act of cutting, pasting, and physically interacting with materials bring to the creative process that other mediums might not?
IR: It relaxes me and keeps my mind and thinking flexible. It's also very exciting because you never know what you're going to find. Unlike painting, you can change, move, twist, and undo anything as long as it doesn't stick. You have control over everything, and it's a clean affair. You can make collages anywhere, you just need scissors or a craft knife, glue, and paper to get started. And it's easier than painting, for example. You have ready-made material and don't have to think about how and where to start and fill the white space.

WTC: Your work often shows deformed objects or humans and that's one of the things we find the most engaging from your work. How does this affinity for imperfection influence the characters or creatures you create in your collages?
IR: I'm always fascinated by the imperfect, the unfinished, the different, anything that doesn't conform to the norm because it embodies authenticity and individuality. My works are always created intuitively, I don't plan them, I don't think about them beforehand. I therefore think that this preference for the imperfect flows unconsciously into my work.

WTC: How has your approach to collage evolved over the years?
IR: Before I made collages, I painted on canvas. At some point I started mixing materials and integrating photos of my little newborn nephew and old posters into my paintings. This resulted in the first mixed media collages on canvas, which have since developed into increasingly minimalist pure paper collages.

WTC: Our current issue is about resilience. Collage, by nature, is about piecing together fragments to create something new. Do you see your art as a metaphor for resilience — the way we take the broken or discarded pieces of life and find new meaning or strength in them?
IR: I haven't thought about it like that yet. I tend to think that the act of creativity and rethinking strengthens and fosters resilience. You're constantly making decisions about how to juxtapose different elements and how to arrange pieces that might not fit together in an obvious way. It's a creative process that involves accepting imperfection and allowing the tension between parts that may not seem to belong together at first glance. 
In this sense, resilience is an ongoing act of piecing together - or, more accurately, reconceptualizing - what has been broken.