‘Bad artists copy, great artists steal’ – Pablo Picasso
Appropriation is when you change the context of an original and give it a new meaning. They might represent it in such a way, that you will be confused as to which one is the original. Or they might just change a few minor things and by adding some text it will give a whole new meaning to the piece of art, in comparison to the old one.
“Scavenging, replicating, or remixing, many influential artists today reinvents a legacy of ‘stealing’ images and forms from other makers. Among the diverse, often contestatory strategies included under the heading ‘appropriation’ are the readymade, detournement, pastiche, rephotography, recombination, simulation and parody.” (Evans, D 2009)
Pablo Picasso is an example for appropriating not other people’s work but objects such as newspapers. Using existing objects and changing their purpose, gave them a new importance. This was looking at things from a different perspective and creating fresh pieces of art.“As the word ‘appropriation’ was originally used, no moral stigma was attached to it. One did not necessarily act wrongly when engaged in appropriation. In its original use, the word usually referred to taking something from nature.” (Young, J 2008)
I wouldn’t say an appropriation artist is someone who cheated their way but instead someone who thought they could put a better meaning on something that was already created.
“Those who do not want to imitate anything, produce nothing.” – Salvador Dali
References:
Young, J. (2008) Cultural Appropriation and the Arts (New Directions in Aesthetics)
Evans, D. (2009) Appropriation
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