clever combophotos by stephen mcmennamy tie two mismatched pictures into one
all images courtesy of stephen mcmennamy
first concocted by a group of surrealists in the early 1900s, the ‘exquisite corpse’ technique is a group exercise where players draw in turn on a sheet of paper, fold it to conceal the image, then pass it to the next player for further contribution. the result typically forms zany and unusual mixed-and-matched combinations like human faces with animal bodies and flowers with feet.
atlanta-based artist stephen mcmennamy expertly brings this age-old pastime — now popularized by children’s books — to present day using photography and simple props. his series of combophotos combine a pair of images in a single frame, juxtaposing two otherwise unrelated elements against each other. the duo of photos are seamlessly met in the middle of the composition, manifesting the mashup as a surreal blend of fantasy and reality.
