What is Appropriation Art — Origins and Examples

What is Appropriation in Art?

First, let’s define appropriation

Appropriation in art got its momentum during the Pop Art Movement but remains ever-so prevalent to this day. What is the process of appropriation and why do artists continue to use it since its introduction?

Art and Appropriation Origins

History of appropriation in art

Before appropriation became the face of Pop Art, its roots can be traced back to experimental uses of found materials and objects. As it evolved, so did the intention behind an artist’s use of original material.

Early 20th Century

Let's consider the origins of appropriation by definition. We can see its use as early as the early 20th century during the second phase of the Cubist Art Movement — Synthetic Cubism. Artists Georges Braque and Pablo Picasso considered this movement they pioneered the beginning of collage utilizing raw materials for textures and shapes. 

Dadaism also has had major influence on appropriation and how artists used it into the 20th and 21st centuries. Marcel Duchamp's Fountain (1917), a porcelain urinal presented as art, questioned the very nature of art and its creation, setting a precedent for the use of pre-existing objects in art.

Mid-20th Century

Pop Art of the 1950s and '60s brought appropriation to the forefront of the cultural conversation, with artists like Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein repurposing images from popular media and consumer culture. Warhol's famous Campbell's Soup Cans (1962) and Lichtenstein's comic panel paintings like Whaam! (1963) blurred the lines between high art and everyday imagery, challenging traditional perceptions of originality and authorship.

Late 20th Century to Present

The practice of appropriation continued to evolve, with artists like Sherrie Levine, who re-photographed famous photographs in her series After Walker Evans (1981), directly questioning the authenticity and originality in art. 

Other artists use it to explore issues of consumerism, power dynamics, and the impact of media on society. For example, Barbara Kruger's text and image collages critique consumerism and gender stereotypes.

In today’s digital age, appropriation has become even more prevalent, with the internet enabling artists to easily access and repurpose a vast array of cultural and artistic materials. Previously created art as raw material to use for appropriation has never been more accessible, leading to even further controversy on its use in contemporary art. More on that later. 

First, let’s look more deeply into the reasons and intentions artists use appropriation as opposed to completely original works.

Appropriation Art Examples

What is appropriation in art used for?

The debate against appropriation is tied to the importance of originality in art. Authorship, ownership, and plagiarism have all fueled arguments against the use of appropriation, so what are the arguments for it? What is its use in art and how does using previously created art still result in something new?

Social Commentary

Many artists use appropriation to offer a critique on social, political, or economic issues, leveraging recognizable imagery to provoke thought or spark dialogue among viewers. 

When it comes to commentary on the state of the human impact on the climate, Singaporean artist Tan Zi Xi, also known as MessyMsxi, has found brilliant use of appropriation. Her 2016 installation Plastic Ocean utilizes 500kg of plastic from the ocean. 

Because people already have a pre-existing emotional relationship with objects like trash and litter, the juxtaposition of how an artist uses it can create and layer meaning in a piece. 

Artistic Tradition and Homage

Some artists engage in appropriation as a way to pay homage to or dialogue with the works of past artists, movements, or styles. This usage underscores the continuity and evolution of artistic ideas, demonstrating how current art is often in conversation with its history, either by honoring it or challenging its established norms.

The Fine Line of Art Appropriation

Controversies around appropriation

Appropriation in art often treads the fine line between homage and theft. It is this fine line, often subjective, that leads to controversy and debate. Arguments often center on the ethics of using someone else's creations without explicit permission, raising questions about intellectual property rights and the moral implications of such artistic practices. 

This is common in the practice of sampling, a type of musical production appropriation, in which sounds are used from previous songs to produce something new. High-profile legal battles have emerged, spotlighting the tense relationship between copyright laws and artistic freedom. 

These controversies force a reevaluation of the boundaries of artistic expression and the legal frameworks that aim to protect it. These arguments can become more and more complex in the digital age. What is fair use? What is intellectual property? What is appropriation and what is blatant theft?

The future of appropriation in art looks toward an evolving landscape where the lines between digital and physical realms blur. Today, artists gain access to an unprecedented range of materials for appropriation. The discussion around appropriation is likely to intensify as it should. 

It’s important to navigate these complexities with open discussion, pushing both artists and lawmakers to rethink traditional norms surrounding artistic creation and ownership in the digital era. Perhaps artists who are thinking about using appropriation should reflect on the quote of iconic filmmaker Jean-Luc Godard when he said, “It's not where you take things from — it's where you take them to.”

Up Next

What is Pop Art?

Andy Warhol is at the forefront of many debates centered around artistic appropriation. His art was also the face of the Pop Art Movement, opening a can of worms of dialogue around originality in art. Check out more about the Pop Art Movement in our next article.

Up Next: What is Pop Art? →