Appropriation – Assignment 1
What is appropriation?
Appropriation is a form of art where an existing image is taken and altered, in most cases very slightly, to completely change the meaning of the image. These images are often taken without the consent of the original owner, due to it commonly being in the public domain and a slight alteration to the image will grant the ownership rights to you, this opens up the debate of wether or not appropriation is a form of theft, or wether the slight alterations should actually grant the ownership rights to you. I however would argue that neither side is always correct and that sides only appear stronger dependent on the image, for example, appropriation images such as the Instagram comments made by Richard Prince does not bring much of a new meaning to the image, and is rather his opinion on the existing image in an attempt to make as much money as possible with as little effort as possible. Where as when you look at appropriated images of representations of women in the media, i feel it shines light on the subject and opens up debates to how women should be perceived in the media. Here i have come up with my own appropriated images that shine light on issues i feel have been overlooked;
Image 1 – “Un-Happy Meal”
My first image was built from my thought process whilst eating at McDonald’s, when i saw the image of a logo of the “Happy Meal” and began to wonder what was so “Happy” about it. I then took this image to be re-appropriated.
I then began to play around with the image with the idea that there was nothing “Happy” about a “Happy meal”, with that concept i began to think what could be the reasons for it being a “Happy meal”. I concluded with the fact that children got happy from this due to the fact the meal tasted good, regardless of how bad it was for you children often overlook this. I then began to think on and realised that children often get excited from Mc Donald’s in general, and the fact that the food company was pretty much plastered everywhere, and no matter where you went in the world you are always a short drive away from a Mc Donald’s, as well as it being advertised everywhere else. I then concluded with the fact children find it hard to resist the addictive and unhealthy food and with the food company being plastered everywhere it makes it very difficult for a child to not want to go there. This is what built my appropriation image, i reflected this by showing a worker in Mc Donald’s putting a Happy meal in front of teenager trying to do something about it weight, acting as a metaphor for the fact the Mc Donald’s is always everywhere no matter how much you try to resist.
Image 2 – “DeadBull”
This is my second appropriated image entitled “DeadBull”. This image was built through the slogan of the company which reads “Red Bull gives you wings”, this slogan relates to the fact that the energy drink is that good you would feel as if you could fly. I then began to think about the health issues surrounding the energy drink and how bad they can be for you, and so reflected this by re appropriating the slogan, making the new meaning of the image that the wings no longer relate to the ecstatic feeling from drinking red bull, but rather assist you on your journey to the next life due to how bad energy drinks can be for you.
Image 3 – “Microrave”
My third and final image for appropriation entitled “Microrave”. This image was built around the fact that companies consistently advertise the fact that there product is the “Latest and Greatest” and are often over enthusiastic about there products, i wanted to reflect this in my image and so came up with the idea of over exaggerating the image even more and adding something different to a product that seems to have no differential to similar products, and so placed a rave inside the microwave giving it something different, and shining light to the fact of how unrealistically excited companies act towards there products in adverts.