Bricolage within contemporary culture

Bricolage is the term used to describe the creation of a work from a range of resources, in order to be creative using various things that happen to be available such as household rubbish. Portions of other artwork and photos may also be used in the creation of collages, where an artist will glue objects to photos or paintings. Many designers use bricolage to come up with innovative and unique ideas from within the environment where raw materials are provided.

Assemblage is an artistic process in which a three-dimensional artistic composition is made from putting together found objects, a good example of this term was used by Louise Nevelson who began creating her sculptures from found pieces of wood in the late 1930s.

Polystylism is the use of multiple styles or techniques in literature, art, film, and music. Instrumental bricolage in music includes the use of found objects as instruments, such as spoons and combs. Culturally bricolage is used to mean the processes by which people use objects from across social areas to create new cultural identities, a good example being the punk age, where punk rockers would attach fabrics and pins to jackets.