Appropriation in Art Essay Example

Throughout history, the issue of appropriation in art has become a heated debate on whether it is good or whether it is bad. Appropriation is fundamentally the act of taking something from somewhere else and placing it into a new context. In art, appropriation is seen as using (or taking) someone else's artwork, manipulating it and ultimately changing the whole meaning behind the work. It is seen as a significant issue as many people (including art critics, art historians and art enthusiasts) see appropriation as whilst, others see it as being inappropriate and immoral, and see the growth in appropriation as being a destroyer of art. It is of the opinion that art indeed "feeds off itself" and every artwork, art movement, and art period is influenced and shaped by those before it. Artists throughout history have been using each other's works to portray different meanings, however, it is only know that its use is being questioned on whether it is original or just a "carbon copy" of another work. There are a number of artists that are considered "Appropriation Artists". Some of these artists include Marcel Duchamp, Yasumasa Morimura, and Maria Kozic. Such artists as Edouard Manet, Pablo Picasso and Leonardo Da Vinci have inspired these artists to the extent that they have used the "Great Artists'" actual artworks in their own works. Appropriation seemed to have flourished in the 1980's and was a very popular technique to use in commercial and advertisement. For this reason the Pop Art Movement (that was most popular in the 1950's and 60's) can also be seen as an excellent instance of appropriation, with the help of such artists as Clause Oldenberg, Andy Warhol, and Roy Lichenstein, who appropriated everyday items and made them into works of art. These artists believe that their works are like a form of homage to another artist. It is their way of learning more about the artists on how he works, operates, and practices. The issue on whether appropriation is a good or