Louie Edison’s fabric collages tell stories of a time gone by

Most of the materials in Louie Edison’s collages are either found or recycled, from scraps of fabric, to photographs, badges, and tiny decorative elements. “My work is a form of storytelling in a sense,” Louie says. “I’m interested in the world that’s been, a time when I wasn’t here, and the cultures, people and objects left behind.” Specifically, he’s interested in objects from the first half of the 20th century – “with all its glamour and destruction,” he says. “Alongside saving something that would go to waste, the materials I use hold a previous life and function and that gives it more character and energy.”

The 24-year-old artist was born and based in London. His work spans multiple mediums and techniques, incorporating collage, print, sculpture and textiles. He’s inspired by fashion – its shapes , texture, colours, and materials – along with the wear and ageing of garments. There’s a raw energy to Louie’s work, but also a tactility and tenderness, in intricate stitchings and composition. Photography also plays a key role, in both the work itself and his influences: ”The immediacy, a captured moment in time,” he says.

“We’re all interested in the past, and a time before us. I think that’s partly why people might connect with my work,” he ends. “I like beautiful things, I want to make work that’s visually beautiful – and usually, as a motive to create, that’s enough.”