Art Appropriation and its Influences
The idea of art appropriation deals with the way in which people look at images surrounding them, and the immediate connections that are made with the visuals. For the works to be effective, whether it is in advertising, art, or mass media the concepts have to adhere to the essence of art, but more so to be relevant to current issues of the day. This would include making use of art elements such as line, form, light, and color in order for the “reading” to be effective. Thus, any person who is involved in creating visuals for viewers ought to follow the principles of art and design, which is based in the overall principles of art. However, art appropriation takes it further, to the point of almost “copying” work that was created before. This is an intentional borrowing from, and the altering of pre-existing work such as photographs as in this instance – Obama’s ‘Hope” poster by Shepard Fairey. The works discussed here, are deliberate reflections of a type of revolutionary art, and in particular a reflection of the Pop Art of Popular Culture.
One of the focal points here is the fact that the works address pop culture in terms of everyday life as seen on television, film, and other cultural media. In Figure 1, the artist, Shepard Fairey, addressed the “Hope” represented by the President Barack Obama’s election in 2008. In his own words, his appropriation dealt with the principles and not the personalities. Shepard Fairey is a street artist that is highly successful in creating imagery from existing work, using it to make his own statements. Not long after the use of the Obama photograph, though, Fairey landed up in court for copyright infringement, as the original photograph he used, belonged to the AP Press (“The Obama “Hope” Poster n.p.). The style of the posters are also very much in the style of propaganda posters which offers strong visual messages. Even though it is only a simple straightforward image with the coloration added, and some manipulation, it is the message that it brings across that is of importance. The emphasis is on the persuasive message that the artists used in the appropriation. This image (Figure 1) has since become one of the many iconic images of the world. The use of color – especially the red color – is immensely important, as it is striking and draws the attention to the image, but more so to the message.
Shepard Fairey has established a unique style of art appropriation and he, as well as other artists created messages for immediate reaction, making use of this style of poster. Two other examples are seen in Figure 2 and Figure 3. Figure 2 is a social comment on the Bill Clinton indiscretion in the Whit House during his presidency, hence, the title “Grope.” It was based on the poster of Obama created by Fairey (“Bill Clinton” n.p.). If one looks at the poster, the image is not as striking, as it lacks the visual impact. Even so, it does have an effect because of the message, which is clearly recognizable. The color is much more subdued, especially the red, and it thus gives a different slant to the message. It is widely known information, and the viewers are able to recognize it immediately. It is clearly meant as a tongue-in-cheek commentary. The power of the visual media is clearly seen in the discussion thus far. It is especially clear in the recognition of what it stands for.
All three the posters are done in a similar style as the revolutionary poster known as part of the genre of Agitprop (meaning: a combination of the words agitation and propaganda). Figure 3 is more closely recreated (appropriated) than the Obama “Hope” poster in terms of the coloration and the finishing. The Obama “hope” poster inspired the “Joke” poster as well, and it would seem that the impact that the “Hope” poster, created a precedent for effective visual impact. In the case of the three posters, it is about the statement, and not just the random use of photographs.
Thus, others felt that it would be a good way to appropriate the artwork for their own purposes. Art appropriation is, therefore, a way of making statements and impacts. However, as seen with the “Hope” poster, one has to be careful of how you are to use the works of others in order to create your own visual messages.
Works Cited
“Bill Clinton - Grope: OHP Poster.” Zazzle. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 June 2016.
“MoMA Learning.” MoMA. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 June 2016.
“The Obama “Hope” Poster & The New Copyright Controversy.” Open Culture. N.p., n.d. Web.
Figure 1: Poster created by Shepard Fairey for the Obama 2008 elections
Figure 2: Based on the “Hope” poster of Obama. The poster reflects
the concept of Agitprop
Figure 3: Poster created by Shepard Fairey for the Obama 2008 elections
