BRYANNA URBINA LAGOS

Collage, Art and Creativity - An Expression of the Self

Portrait courtesy of Bryanna Urbina Lagos.

Bachelor of Architecture Graduate at University of Colorado - Denver

Bryanna Urbina Lagos is a first-generation architecture graduate. Her family immigrated to the United States from Nicaragua in the late 80s. Her father worked in construction, which was what sparked her curiosity for design. She has always used art as a creative outlet, art has always been an extension of herself. In college she was introduced to collaging which has become her primary medium. Her work explores parts of her identity, memories, and has incorporated collaging into her architecture work. She hopes to continue pushing the meaning of her work so it can be understood and felt by all.

Inspiration

What inspired you to pursue collaging? How did you get into it?

I was introduced to collages in my third year or college. I took a class titled “Once upon an Architecture … Narrative, representation, and form” where we explored a variety of visual techniques for exploring architecture. Our first assignment was to make a collage. It could be of whatever we wanted, and I chose to create a piece inspired my feminism. The Piece is titled “Trinity” which has nature in the background and a multitude of women in the forefront. Women of all size, color, and age. The piece is not delicate, it is messy, the edges left as is, because women are not delicate flowers. It was the first piece that made me excited, because it was me. I became a bit obsessed with the medium and fell in love with the DADA movement and with the manipulation of images. Collaging allowed me to create my own narrative. The possibilities for exploration are endless. Much of my inspiration is intrinsic. Drawing from places I’ve traveled to, to childhood memories, all the pieces have some sort of emotional weight to them, which I express through color and layering.

Bryanna Urbina Lagos, “Trinity” 2019 Magazine on poster board. This is a feminist piece inspired by Chanel’s 2015 Spring/Summer collection and their “femeniste mais femenine” piece which challenges the notion that feminists cannot be feminine. This piece uses the idea of “mother nature” which is a powerful and unpredictable force. Image courtesy of Bryanna Urbina Lagos.

Bryanna Urbina Lagos, Untitled 2019. This was an interior perspective done for my 3rd undergraduate studio. The space is an art gallery. Image courtesy of Bryanna Urbina Lagos.

Bryanna Urbina Lagos, Untitled 2019. Interior perspective of a gallery design, final iteration of previous image (artboard 2). Image courtesy of Bryanna Urbina Lagos.

Time Management

How did you manage to maintain your time with your artwork (is it a stress reliever for you?) while practicing architecture?

I have always considered architecture an art medium. How can it not be? While it is technical and restricted by codes, even those boundaries can be pushed. Collaging was important to me and that I enjoyed, so I began to incorporate it into my architecture work. I typically use collaging to conceptualize form and space. I did not have to do it, it is tedious to cut up magazines, sort things by color, but it was a unique opportunity for me to continue to explore the possibilities of collaging. It has served to relieve stress, when searching for colors the tasks to become a bit mindless and serve as a break from architecture. But other times collaging has served as inspiration or clarification of space and has given me the ability to imagine something outside of the computer, beyond basswood, and 3D printed models. I can see in color, texture, and patterns. Regardless of the art medium it all works alongside architecture if anything I encourage people to find something beyond to find new ways of thinking.

Resources

What are resources (tools, influence, mediums) that you use?

It does not take much to collage, I use magazines, box cutters, glue, and any sort of seal to protect the work. Most of my magazines have been gifted, or I get them from secondhand stores. Like a true architecture student, I put my collages on chipboard, it is sturdy, affordable, and I enjoy the aesthetic. Hannah Hoch is one of my primary sources of inspiration. She was a pioneer of the medium and created a new way of thinking and seeing. Not only did she help establish as an artform she also helped collaging be seen as a form of photography.

Bryanna Urbina Lagos, Untitled 2019. Exterior perspective. Image courtesy of Bryanna Urbina Lagos.

Work materials. Image courtesy of Bryanna Urbina Lagos.

Bryanna Urbina Lagos, “Un cafecito” 2020, 7” x 7”, Magazine on chipboard. Interior perspective of a contemplative space. Image courtesy of Bryanna Urbina Lagos.

Bryanna Urbina Lagos, “Un cafecito” 2020, 7” x 7”, Magazine on chipboard. Interior perspective of a contemplative space. Image courtesy of Bryanna Urbina Lagos.

Want to #Collage? Follow These Steps!

What are the bases, favorite tools? What items do you need to start? A piece of paper? Pens? Paint? Pastels? Magazines? Fabric?

The hardest thing is to decide what to make. To start you are going to need magazines, an x-acto knife, and glue. The way I approach my work is by color blocking. I sort everything by color, and I will make a sketch of my idea to understand the general layout of a piece and I will begin to piece things together and see how to create shadows and depth.

In terms of rising concerns and problems (in the architectural profession) over the past year, what is one change that you wish would happen and it did not?

Throughout my entire undergraduate career I have only had two instructors whom were women of color. The ideas and perspectives they brought to the table were incredibly thoughtful. The educational field, from my perspective lacks women, and lacks color. It is important to allow and encourage these people to come into education. Allyship requires active action not just words of support, institutional educations must create a platform for diverse voices to exist in.

Bryanna Urbina Lagos, “Untitled” 2020, 7” x 7”, Magazine on chipboard. Perspective of a contemplative space, this piece was inspired my travels to Nicaragua. Image courtesy of Bryanna Urbina Lagos.

Bryanna Urbina Lagos, “Abuelas room” 2020, 7” x 7”, Magazine on chipboard. Interior perspective of a contemplative space. This piece is very dear to me, it allowed me to reflect on the memories i've had with my grandma and all the advice I have gotten from her in her room. Image courtesy of Bryanna Urbina Lagos

Bryanna Urbina Lagos, “Untitled” 2020 this image as an exploration of brickwork and layering to see how the layers of the earth change and vary in earth architecture. Image courtesy of Bryanna Urbina Lagos.