Found Art: Using Everyday Objects to Create Something New

We all want to make something unique and original that’s never been done before. However, figuring out how to create something new is often one of the most difficult parts of being an artist. Surprisingly, the key to making something original is usually found in everyday objects that already exist. Many artists create by using what are called “found objects.” This is when an artist finds either a natural or man-made object and uses it as either inspiration, as part of a larger work of art, or as the piece of art itself. For example, Picasso used objects such as newspapers and matchboxes in his collages. Like Picasso and many other artists, you can use any of the following techniques to create found art.

Readymade

Readymade art is when the artist creates art from manufactured objects. This type of found art was first used by French artist Marcel Duchamp. His theory behind this type of art consisted of three important points: choosing the object must be a creative act, cancelling the function of the object makes it art, and the presentation and title of the object gives it new meaning. The most important principle of readymade art is that the artist gets to define what art is.

Assemblage

Assemblage art is exactly what it sounds like: creating art by assembling different objects. These objects can be found or specially bought if you know there’s a certain element you’d like to add to your artwork. Assemblage is used to create sculptures and collages, many of which are surrealist in nature. The idea with assemblage art is to present mundane objects in new and surprising ways so viewers question their relation to the world.  

Appropriation

The appropriation technique is when an artist uses pre-existing objects or images in their art without changing the original. In these art pieces, the objects represent themselves since they are not changed in any significant way. A famous example of appropriated art is Andy Warhol’s Campbell’s Soup Cans. Pop artists like Andy Warhol appropriated by reproducing, juxtaposing, and repeating images or objects from pop culture. Since appropriation uses objects without changing them very much, this technique puts into question the concepts of originality, authenticity, authorship, and the definition of art itself.

The Uncanny

In 1919, psychologist Sigmund Freud came up with the idea of “the uncanny,” which is when something seems both familiar and alien at the same time. When we experience something uncanny, we often feel anxious and unsettled. In art, the concept of the uncanny is when artists create something using familiar objects in unfamiliar contexts and unexpected ways. Something many people find uncanny is robots and manakins because they often present as human but are not.  

The next time you’re searching for inspiration, look at the everyday objects around you. Can you use them to create something new? See what kind of found objects you can turn into a thought-provoking piece. Art surrounds us, and the opportunities to create are endless!