Vincent La Scala is a self-taught collage artist who lives and works in Queens, New York. Snippets of images from everywhere are tumultuously juxtaposed.
When did you start making art and what are your favorite motives?
I started making art relatively late in life, in my early thirties. For me, the best motivation is simply the pleasure I take in the act of making art—the euphoria I experience in the process of creating a piece is what compels me to move on to the next one.
When you create a new work, how do you proceed? What comes first?
The work develops from whatever materials I happen to find, usually in flea markets and from sidewalk junk sellers, but the detritus and ephemera I use can be found almost anywhere. I’ve nurtured a sharp eye for spotting a collage lurking within the pages and covers of old books and magazines, just sitting there, waiting for me. It’s a treasure hunt, really.
From what do you get your motivation?
From whatever piece I made last, and the possibilities that it inspires of all the things I could do next. Also, seeing other artists’ works, of course, either at galleries and museums or in books, or even on Instagram.
Your life without art would be ...
greatly diminished, I suspect, but on the other hand, it could be greatly enhanced, because I sometimes feel that being an art maker can be just as much a curse as it is a blessing.
What is the best art place in your city at the moment?
Of the many places you can experience art in New York my favorite—at this or any moment—is the Guggenheim Museum, not least because the building itself is a masterpiece of modern architecture.
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