Appropriation (Whitechapel: Documents of Contemporary Art)

Important documents and appraisals of appropriation art from Duchamps readymades to feminist and postcolonial critique. Scavenging replicating or remixing many influential artists today reinvent a legacy of stealing images and forms from other makers. Among the diverse often contestatory strategies included under the heading appropriation are the readymade dtournement pastiche rephotography recombination simulation and parody. Although appropropriation is often associated with the 1980s practice of such artists as Peter Halley Sherrie Levine Richard Prince and Cindy Sherman as well as the critical discourse of postmodernism and the simulacral theory of Jean Baudrillard appropriations significance for art is not limited by that cultural and political moment. In an expanded art-historical frame this book recontextualizes avant-garde photomontage the Duchampian readymade and the Pop image among such alternative precursors as Francis Picabia Bertolt Brecht Guy Debord Akasegawa Genpei Dan Graham Cildo Meireles and Martha Rosler. In the recent work of many artists including Mike Kelley Glenn Ligon Pierre Huyghe and Aleksandra Mir among others appropriation is central to their critique of the contemporary world and vision for alternative futures Artists surveyed include Akasegawa Genpei Santiago lvarez Art Workers Coalition Ross Bleckner Marcel Broodthaers Victor Burgin Maurizio Cattelan Hans-Peter Feldmann Douglas Gordon Johan Grimonprez Peter Halley Hank Herron Pierre Huyghe Mike Kelley Idris Khan Barbara Kruger Sherrie Levine Glenn Ligon Steve McQueen Alexandra Mir Keith Piper Richard Prince Jorma Puranen Cindy Sherman John Stezaker Retort Martha Rosler Philip Taaffe. Writers include Malek Alloula Jean Baudrillard Walter Benjamin Nicolas Bourriaud Benjamin H. D. Buchloh Johanna Burton Douglas Crimp Thomas Crow Guy Debord Georges Didi-Huberman Marcel Duchamp Okwui Enwezor Jean-Luc Godard Isabelle Graw Boris Groys Raoul Hausmann Sven Ltticken Cildo Meireles Kobena Mercer Slobodan Mijuskovic Laura Mulvey Jo Spence Elisabeth Sussman Lisa Tickner Reiko Tomii Andy Warhol.