Appropriation

Definition

Appropriation is the practice of taking pre-existing objects, images, or concepts and recontextualizing them within a new work, often to comment on or critique the original material. This technique is significant in various forms of art, especially video art, where it can challenge the boundaries of authorship and originality while raising questions about cultural ownership and representation.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Appropriation can be traced back to early art movements like Dada and Surrealism, where artists began to challenge traditional notions of originality.
2. In video art, appropriation often involves sampling or editing existing footage to create new narratives or explore themes such as identity, consumerism, and politics.
3. The use of appropriation raises important legal and ethical questions about copyright and intellectual property rights in contemporary art.
4. Artists like Sherrie Levine and Barbara Kruger are known for their works that employ appropriation to critique gender roles and consumer culture.
5. Appropriation can also serve as a means of political activism, allowing marginalized voices to reclaim and reinterpret dominant cultural narratives.

Review Questions

• How does appropriation function as a critical tool within video art to challenge notions of originality?
  • Appropriation in video art serves as a critical tool by allowing artists to question the idea of originality and authorship. By recontextualizing existing footage or images, artists can highlight how much contemporary culture relies on previously created materials. This practice not only blurs the lines between creator and viewer but also prompts audiences to reconsider the value placed on original works versus those that remix or repurpose existing content.
• Discuss the implications of appropriation on cultural ownership and representation in contemporary video art.
  • The implications of appropriation on cultural ownership are significant in contemporary video art. As artists borrow from various sources, they spark conversations about who has the right to represent certain cultures or ideas. This can lead to debates about cultural appropriation versus appreciation, emphasizing the need for sensitivity when drawing from diverse cultural backgrounds. The dialogues that emerge from these works can promote awareness of power dynamics related to representation in media.
• Evaluate the role of artists who utilize appropriation in their work as agents of social change within society's cultural narratives.
  • Artists who utilize appropriation play a crucial role as agents of social change by subverting existing cultural narratives and creating new interpretations that challenge dominant ideologies. Through their work, they can highlight issues such as inequality, identity politics, and consumer culture by integrating familiar imagery in unexpected ways. This process not only engages viewers critically but also encourages them to reflect on their own relationship with the media they consume, ultimately fostering a more inclusive dialogue around representation in art.

Related terms

Remix Culture: A cultural phenomenon where existing media and creative works are reimagined, altered, or combined to create something new, often emphasizing collaboration and shared ownership.

Intertextuality: The relationship between texts where one work references or echoes another, creating layers of meaning and context that enrich the understanding of both pieces.

Cultural Critique: The analysis and examination of cultural products and practices to reveal underlying social, political, and economic power dynamics.