ɹᵻɡˈɑːɹdɪŋ ðɪ ˈɑːɹt ʌv kɑːlˈɑːʒ, ˈɜːnst sˈɛd, "ɪɾ ɪz ðə sˌɪstəmˈæɾɪk ɛksplɔɪtˈeɪʃən ʌvðə koʊˌɪnsɪdˈɛntəl ɔːɹ ˌɑːɹɾɪfˈɪʃəli pɹəvˈoʊkt ɛŋkˈaʊntɚɹ ʌv tˈuː ɔːɹ mˈoːɹ ˌʌnɹᵻlˈeɪɾᵻd ɹɪˈælᵻɾiz ˌɔn ɐn ɐpˈæɹəntli ˌɪnɐpɹˈoʊpɹiət plˈeɪn ænd ðə spˈɑːɹk ʌv pˈoʊɪtɹi kɹiːˈeɪɾᵻd baɪ ðə pɹɑːksˈɪmᵻɾi ʌv ðiːz ɹɪˈælᵻɾiz.
Regarding the art of collage, Ernst said, "It is the systematic exploitation of the coincidental or artificially provoked encounter of two or more unrelated realities on an apparently inappropriate plane and the spark of poetry created by the proximity of these realities.