Appropriation art is when artists copy or borrow images or objects in order to re-contextualize and create their own work. The most famous work in photography that springs to mind when I think about appropriation would be Sherrie Levine’s work, After Walker Evans. Walker Evans photographed a family of sharecroppers during the depression in America in the 1930’s, Sherrie Levine re-photographed his work in 1979. Levine was challenging the idea of ownership.
Although Levine’s Sharecroppers wife appears no different to Evans’ Sharecroppers wife, in context with their individual bodies of work they both have a completely different rhetoric, therefore completely different works and both extremely important in the history of photography.
Appropriation is a controversial form of art in photography, the question ‘when is it ok to use repurpose copyrighted images?’ is an important question in current times. Images are so readily available, whether it be through Google images or from any website images can be taken. I have to ask myself, how would I feel? And frankly, I don’t think I’d like it, however I feel appropriation art is an important statement.
Mishka Henner is such an incredible appropriation photographer/artist, all of his work are images that he hasn’t photographed himself. Which begs the question whether he actually is a photographer? Yet through his work he raises important questions and tackles challenging subjects.
Mishka Henner – No Man’s Land
The above image is from no man’s land, it is an interesting comment considering where the images were taken from, about poverty and wealth, how some might take for granted our ability to access images, while these women have nothing, as well as that he is challenging ownership.
Karen Schofield Photography 