"'Ausflug zur historischen Waldstadt' - ''Trip to the historic forest city'" Collage

Denis Schäfer aka Kollasch (b. 1973, Germany) is a contemporary visual artist known for his sculptural paper works and conceptual entomological displays.

At the core of Kollasch’s practice is his flagship series, "Falter – For Those Who Don't Like Dead Animals" ("Für alle, die keine toten Tiere mögen"). Inspired by classical 19th-century cabinet of curiosities and insect collections, Kollasch offers a ethical, cruelty-free alternative to traditional taxidermy. Reimagining the display case, he crafts delicate geometric paper "butterflies" and "moths" entirely by hand—never using real specimens.

Each "Falter" is a unique sculpture fold, assembled from curated historical documents, vintage maps, discarded printed matter, or international banknotes (Geld auf Gold). Through precise origami and paper construction, Kollasch transforms flat paper into tactile 3D objects, celebrating biodiversity while reflecting on value, time, and upcycling.

In addition to his folded insect showcases, Kollasch applies his masterly command of paper to layered architectural collages (Megaurbanpolis), exploring spatial depth, line, and urban structure.

Since 2014 he has participated in the Collagistas festival, which took place in a different country every year until the outbreak of the Corona pandemic in 2020.

Kollasch lives and works in Berlin, Germany. His single-edition paper sculptures are held in private collections worldwide.