The Ecstasy Of Influence

Originality and plagiarism are interesting and difficult topics to discuss. In Jonathan Lethem’s article, The Ecstasy Of Influence, he argues there is no truly original artwork, not in the way originality being explained in the mass media : a solitary endeavor without outside influences. He gives numerous examples of famous artists appropriating and incorporating other artists’ work into their artwork. Using those established artists’ behavior as a way to challenge us to re-examine the current notion of originality and plagiarism. And he goes further and argues unlike “a car or a handbag, once stolen, no longer is available to its owner, while the appropriation of an article of ‘intellectual property’ leaves the original untouched.” The past artworks are the building blocks for the future creators. Kirby Ferguson makes similar points in his TED talk.

Although I agree with him all artists have influences and appropriation leaves the original untouched, the appropriation of the original can change the meaning of the original to an extent that it would override it. For example, Pepe the Frog, it was originally a webcomic character, and has been appropriated as a symbol of the alt-right movement and added to Anti-Defamation League’s system as a hate symbol. The creator, Matt Furie, openly discussed his dismay at Pepe’s association to hate groups. Despite of winning the copyright lawsuit, he can not remove the hateful meaning of Pepe from the culture lexicon.

Lethem does makes a very critical point of the way we treat art. He clearly identifies the danger of treating art as commodity: we lose the connection between the artist and the audience. Bonding over our creativity is the way to move forward.