Art and Originality - Jeff Koons and Martin Sharp

Essay by JohnnyRockHigh School, 11th gradeA+, February 2006

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Many post-modern artists have incorporated works of other artists for use in their own creations. However, this is not considered as "stealing" that artist's artwork by using it themselves in their own artwork, but is considered "appropriation". An artist who wishes to appropriate ones works does not just cut and paste the other artists work and claims it as his own, they show it in a new light by giving it new meaning away from the original work of art, and by doing this are challenging ideas about art and what art is. Two such artists that use this technique are Martin Sharp and Jeff Koons.

The majority of Martin Sharp's work is pop art; he appropriates images that are familiar to the art world or popular culture of the time. One of Sharp's strongest inspirations was Van Gogh and in some cases has appropriated Gogh's masterpieces into his own artworks.

One of these artworks is "Still Life" which was made in 1973.

Martin Sharp has efficiently appropriated Van Gough's "Sunflowers" and Andy Warhol's "Marylyn" in his artwork "Still Life". It is easy to recognize Van Gough's "Sunflowers" through the style of the brush stokes and colour use which is easily associated with most of Gough's artworks. As well as this Andy Warhol's "Marylyn" has been used, as Marylyn Monroe is a huge celebrity icon in which was strongly relatable at that time and still even today. It is an effective artwork in expressing beauty and showing that it is ever lasting, and Sharp has used the "Sunflowers" and "Marylyn" as symbols of this beauty.

Even though Marylyn Monroe is not alive today her beauty still lives on. Marylyn was adored by many and seen as the goddess of sex appeal and it is understandable why she is...