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Ernesto Beckford
Collages & Stories
Last Updated 11-26-2023
Brutish Beauty
Handmade collage exploring the sensitive side of masculinity. Significant source materials for this collage are the drawings of Leonardo. Original collage size: 8 x 19 inches.
Woman Times Four
Same scene, different moods and emotions. Handmade collage using old books and imagination. Significant source material for this collage comes from a Spanish book published in 1868, tilted “Mugeres célebres de España y Portugal" (Famous women of Spain and Portugal) by Juan de Dios de la Rada y Delgadol. The book is an illustrated biographical account of famous Spanish and Portuguese women. Collage Size: 10 x 14 inches.
Woman and Birds
Handmade collage of a Latin American woman engulfed by birds. The indigenous peoples of Latin America historically used bird motifs and the concept of flight as symbols of movement, relocation, and freedom. According to the Museo de Arte Precolombino in Peru, birds are essential animals in Andean culture because they are believed to fly between the celestial and earthly worlds. The idea of heritage and ancestry is a common theme in my collages. In this collage, I used bird imagery to create a motif that not only sets the scene for the subject matter but also asks the viewer to reflect on their own connections to their past. Collage size: 13.75 x 10.25 inches. Materials: Paper, Watercolor, and soft pastels.
Queen of Flowers
A regal figure stands proud and poised as she holds a bouquet of long-stemmed flowers. The juxtaposition of her stern yet elegant demeanor with the overly manicured floral setting creates a surreal atmosphere, as if she is a living embodiment of the delicate balance between nature and artifice. Handmade collage using paper, watercolor, and soft pastels. Collage size: 12.5 x 17 in.
Woman and Flower
Collage portrait of a woman holding a flower, combining different materials, such as paper, newspaper, and watercolor. The collage features a woman with Mona Lisa-like eyes that seem to follow the viewer from any angle. Her forehead is plastered with bits and pieces of torn newspaper, which serve as a pathway to her inner thoughts. Collage size: 12 x 12 in
Eve's Desire - A Stylized Garden of Eden
This handmade collage depicts a stylized version of the story of Eve in the Garden of Eden. In the artwork, Eve is portrayed lying in a serpentine manner in the grass, surrounded by the garden's flowers. She contemplates biblical passages while symbolic images of human cells and sexuality float above her. The collage is created using old images, various paper elements, watercolor, and soft pastels. It conveys the moment when God admonishes Eve for her transgression, speaking the words: "Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee." Collage Size 18 x 12.5 in.
Eighteenth Century Remnants
Africans were forcibly taken to the American colonies, where they endured slavery on sugar, tobacco, and cotton plantations. This cruelty generated immense wealth for their oppressors, which is evident in the grand Palladian-style mansions that remain today. In my artwork, I depict a deteriorating mansion, marked by the presence of a ghostly slave, whose blood and labor built the structure. Unlike the mansion's decay, the slave is vivid, vibrant, and alluring, conveying a poignant message. Handmade collage combining images from old books, paper fragments, watercolors, and soft pastels. Collage size: 12.5” x 11.75”
Flemish Anatomy Art
Flemish paintings, from the Northern Renaissance, usually applied precise detail, rich and vibrant colors, and a sense of fantasy realism. The same attention to detail, color and realism is used in modern anatomy books. In this collage, I combine the two art forms to create a modern version of a Flemish renaissance piece. Handmade collage using images from Flemish art books, illustrations from anatomy books, watercolor, and soft pastels. Collage Size: 12.5" x 11"
Billboard Botticelli
This collage merges the beauty of a classical Botticelli painting with a torn, layered billboard aesthetic. The collage explores the concept of timeless art and transient advertising, portraying a fragmented beauty within an urban landscape. Handmade collage using torn paper, classical images, and a splash of watercolor. Original Collage Size: 12.5” x 10”
NYC Subway
Waiting on the platform to catch the A Train. Handmade collage. Original Collage Size (HxW): 10"x12"
London Flower Girl
In Victorian England, girls and women selling flowers on the streets of London faced poverty, exploitation, and harsh living conditions. They worked long hours, starting early in the morning and continuing late into the night. Many of them came from impoverished backgrounds and had little access to education. They were vulnerable to exploitation by the flower suppliers who took a significant cut of their meager earnings. They often lived in cramped and unsanitary lodgings in the slums of London, exposing them to health issues. They were stigmatized by society and had limited prospects for escaping poverty. The contrast between the beautiful flowers sold by these workers and their harsh lives is portrayed in this collage. The beautiful flowers are enormous, almost suffocating the flower girl, and her face expresses fear and anguish.
Portrait of Marta
Imaginary portrait of my mother, Marta, as a young woman. Like many Latin Americans, Marta had a very mixed ancestry, including Spanish, Danish, and Black. She was a force of nature, strong and independent. I combined all these elements to depict her at age twenty, with fiercely undulating red hair and wide, bright eyes, ready to conquer and triumph. The image in the back of a man with his fist up, is me, cheering on my mother. Handmade collage using bits and pieces of paper, watercolor, and soft pastels. Original Collage Size: 11.25" x 9.25"
Shadow
This surreal collage depicts a person and their shadow. The person is depicted as androgynous with bright clothes. The shadow morphs into a green figure. The collage alludes to the fluidity of time and perception. Handmade collage using bits and pieces of paper and watercolo
Controversial Dispute
This hand-made collage portrays two men sitting back-to-back, a pose that represents a disagreement between then and emotional separation. The tension is palpable. The clothing worn by the two men is crafted from disturbing and surreal images extracted from Hieronymus Bosch's iconic painting, "The Garden of Earthly Delights." This choice of imagery adds an eerie and disconcerting dimension to the piece and symbolizes the weight of their disagreement. Collage made from old books, bits and pieces of paper, watercolor and imagination.
Modern Orthodox Deity
Surreal rendition of a Greek Orthodox altar piece, depicting a deity in a dress. The piece explores the interconnection between religion, masculinity, and sexual fluidity. Original Collage Size: 12" x 9.5"
Red Moon Love
The collage painting depicts two star-crossed lovers on a romantic night, under the moon's light. The woman is wearing a brown dress with black trimming, revealing her high neck and her red face, which is in the surreal style and depicts the moon. Her eyes are blue like diamonds. The man is handsome, a troubadour, completely and eerily drawn in black and white, except for a colorful left eye. The surreal piece speaks to us of the yin and yang that often exists in romantic relationships, which serves both to bind and separate. Original Collage Size: 9.5" x 13"
Purple Prom Night
The young man in this portrait stands out like a beacon in the dark, his striking red hair and bluish eyes catching the light and drawing the attention of everyone in the room. He is dressed to the nines for his prom night, his outfit a beautiful and unique purple coat and pant combination that seems to be made of a patchwork of different fabrics. The sleeves of his coat are lined in delicate lace, and he holds a matching lace handkerchief in his hand. He seems to have stepped out of the baroque days of Beethoven, with a modernized take on the classic look that suits our contemporary tastes perfectly. The bright splash of blue behind his head is a striking contrast to the pitch darkness of the rest of the background, making him stand out even more. He is stepping out, ready to dance, to impress, to conquer the night. Original Collage Size: 9.5" x 6.5"
Train to the Beach
Surreal journey on a train, travelling to the beach. Handmade, paper collage.
The Island Laminated
Imaginative collage depicting a young woman on an island. A magical view. Handmade collage using bits and pieces of paper, magazines and old books that smell of smoke and coffee.
Saint Sebastian Laminated
Saint Sebastian was an early Christian saint and martyr. He was tied to a tree and shot with arrows, though this did not kill him. This collage updates San Sebastian to show the beauty of his martyrdom. Handmade collage using bits and pieces of paper, magazines and old books that smell of smoke and coffee.
Gainsborough Guitar
Imaginative portrait of a modern-age young woman playing the 18th Century English Guitar, in the style of Thomas Gainsborough. Handmade collage using bits and pieces of paper, watercolor, and magazines plus old books that smell of smoke and coffee.
Orange and Black
Many paintings depict women, in beautiful settings of flowers and feminine allure. This collage depicts such a woman, but in the role of a lady judge. The collage uses primarily an orange, black and white palette to depict this story. In the center of the collage, a woman, regal and commanding, stands tall in the role of a lady judge. Her presence exudes confidence and authority as she gazes sternly ahead, a symbol of strength and equality. Dressed in a judicial robe that cascades gracefully around her, she challenges traditional perceptions, seamlessly blending the worlds of femininity and justice. To the right of the central figure, a burst of vibrant orange flowers blooms in a garden of lush greens. The flowers symbolize the beauty that can emerge even in the most austere settings, a reminder that justice can thrive amidst the most challenging circumstances. On the left side of the collage, the color palette shifts to a bold black and white. Here, the lady judge is portrayed in a courtroom, a scene captured in the essence of monochrome. The stark contrast of black and white reinforces the gravity of the moment, emphasizing the weight of the decisions being made. The collage masterfully weaves these color elements together. The orange hues from the floral garden blend into the central portrayal of the lady judge, symbolizing the harmonious union of feminine allure and authoritative command. The black and orange color palette infuses the artwork with both energy and depth, accentuating the narrative of a woman who challenges conventions and emerges as a beacon of justice in an elegant and powerful tapestry of imagery.
Veiled Woman
Surreal portrait of a veiled woman. Handmade collage using bits and pieces of paper, a splash of watercolor, and images from magazines and old books that smell of smoke and coffee.
Through the Looking Glass
Handmade collage using bits and pieces of paper, imagination, splashes of watercolor, and old magazines and books that smell of smoke and coffee.
Handmade collage using bits and pieces of paper, imagination, splashes of watercolor, and old magazines and books that smell of smoke and coffee.
Handmade collage using bits and pieces of paper, imagination, splashes of watercolor, and old magazines and books that smell of smoke and coffee.
Two Portraits
Surreal portraits of a mother and child, constructed with torn paper. The mother wears a beautiful red cape dress. The son wears an old fashioned suit. Their expression is inquisitive, tired, soulful. They seem to come from another era, perhaps from a farm in the 1800s. They are mixed race, neither whit nor black but a bit of each. They are each staring at you, the portrait taker.
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