The William Benton
Museum of Art

Wood 
Gift of the Artist, 2001.26.126

Assemblage is art made from disparate materials, including everyday objects often scavenged by the artist. Translated from French as “assembly,” this approach to making art can be thought of as a three-dimensional or sculptural collage and was first used early in the 20th century. Assemblage became widespread in the 1950s and 1960s, when Herms established himself as a member of the California assemblage movement. This group of artists and poets challenged the values of the art world and rejected the wastefulness of post-war consumerism. By juxtaposing found objects, some foraged in dumps, Herms makes new meanings and associations infused with poetry and humor.