100% originality in the art world has become close to – if not completely – impossible. Whether a person picks up on it or not, the world around us is fuelling the mind, and has fuelled the minds of every human before them. From the rich and broad history of art across thousands of years to walking in the city to buy a bottle of milk one morning, the brain is constantly being fed information, and whether consciously or not, an artist will incorporate it into their work.
In particular, the clearest information retained is often that which an artist will find hard-hitting or appealing. Literature, real events, the work of other artists and nature are just a few things that can inspire an artist, and in turn, that artist will use those ideas and inspirations to produce their own message. It may not be true originality in the sense of the word, as elements of an idea or a concept may have been thought of or produced before, but the artist him/ herself is recontextualising those ideas to fit their audience and purpose, and producing a genuine piece.
The example shown above is that of Gustav Klimt’s painting of Judith I, completed in 1908, and part of a Klimt-inspired photoshoot by Edward Enninful for Vogue-Italia in 2007. The aesthetic similarities are quite apparent from the makeup, hairstyles and even expressions of both models, and from the emphasis of detail – in Klimt’s case, the jewellery of the model and the ornate background, and in Enninful’s photo, the model is covered in intricate tattoos. However, there are also other similarities. Klimt often portrayed women with a femme-fatale nature, and Judith – a Biblical figure known for beheading Holofernes, as he had threatened her hometown – was no exception. The bold make-up, tattoos and expression of the model in Enninful’s piece conveys a similar aura, especially as the use of skulls and other Gothic imagery in the tattoos are often seen as ‘tough’ or ‘dark’. There is practically a century between the two works, and Enninful has recontextualised the ideas Klimt used to fit a modern market.
Another subject often reworked for contemporary visual communication is that of Greek mythology. In particular, the figure of Medusa – a woman who was known for her beauty, but after punishment was so ugly she could turn living beings to stone - has been reworked. Gianni Versace had a deep interest in mythology and learnt of Medusa’s power. He wished to stop people 'dead in their tracks' as she was known for, and incorporated Medusa into his design house's logo. Although the myth portrays Medusa to be foul, later art (like Versace’s) shows her being beautiful (which, according to the myth, she bragged of the beauty that was successful in seducing Poseidon) but with serpentine themes. In the 20th and 21st centuries, Medusa was and is recontextualised as a feminist figure; a symbol of female rage and strength, as opposed to the fallen woman the original myth portrayed her as.
Sources I found useful:
"Edward Enninful's Klimt inspired shoot for Vogue Italia" - Catwalk Queen - www.catwalkqueen.tv (accessed 29th September 2010)
"Nothing is Original, So Steal Everything" - Basekit - blog.basekit.com (accessed 29th September 2010)
"Edward Enninful's Klimt inspired shoot for Vogue Italia" - Catwalk Queen - www.catwalkqueen.tv (accessed 29th September 2010)
"Nothing is Original, So Steal Everything" - Basekit - blog.basekit.com (accessed 29th September 2010)
"Versace Medusa" - Rosenthal - www.rosenthal.cn (accessed 29th September 2010)
"The Versace Logo: A Representation of the Head of Medusa" - Associated Content - www.associatedcontent.com (accessed 29th September 2010)
