Sherrie Levine: The Provocateur of Appropriation Art

Redefining Originality and Authorship in Contemporary Art

Sherrie Levine is a pivotal figure in the realm of contemporary art, renowned for her pioneering role in the appropriation art movement. Levine's work challenges conventional notions of originality, authenticity, and authorship by reproducing and recontextualizing existing works by other artists. Through her provocative practice, she compels viewers to reconsider the very nature of art, its creation, and its cultural significance.

Sherrie Levine - After Duchamp

Early Life and Artistic Formation

Born in Hazleton, Pennsylvania, in 1947, Sherrie Levine grew up during a period of significant social and cultural transformation in America. She pursued her undergraduate studies at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, where she earned her Bachelor of Arts in 1969, followed by a Master of Fine Arts in 1973. Levine's academic background in the arts provided her with a deep understanding of art history and critical theory, which would become foundational to her later work in appropriation.

Levine moved to New York City in the late 1970s, a time when the city was a hotbed of avant-garde artistic activity. The burgeoning conceptual art scene, with its emphasis on ideas over traditional aesthetic concerns, profoundly influenced Levine. It was within this dynamic environment that she began to develop her distinctive approach to art-making.

The Birth of Appropriation Art

Appropriation art emerged as a significant movement in the late 1970s and early 1980s, characterized by the intentional borrowing, copying, and recontextualizing of existing images and objects. Artists like Levine, Richard Prince, Cindy Sherman, and Barbara Kruger used appropriation to critique the concepts of originality and authenticity in art, questioning the value and meaning assigned to unique, original creations.

Levine's work is particularly associated with this movement due to her direct and unapologetic use of existing works by other artists. Her approach involves re-photographing, replicating, and reinterpreting iconic pieces, thereby stripping them of their original context and challenging the viewer's perception of authorship and originality.

"After Walker Evans": A Provocative Statement

Sherrie Levine - Broad Stripe: 6

One of Levine's most famous and controversial series is "After Walker Evans" (1981). In this series, Levine re-photographed iconic images by Walker Evans, a renowned American photographer known for his documentation of the Great Depression. By presenting these re-photographs as her own work, Levine provoked a critical dialogue about authorship and the originality of the photographic image.

The act of re-photographing Evans's work raised fundamental questions about the nature of photography and art. Levine's images were identical to the originals, yet their context had dramatically shifted. By placing her name on Evans's work, Levine challenged the notion that an artwork's value lies in its originality and the identity of its creator. Instead, she suggested that meaning and significance are fluid, shaped by context and interpretation.

Challenging the Canon: Reproducing Modern Masters

Levine extended her critique of originality and authorship by appropriating works from other canonical artists. In her series "After Egon Schiele" (1982), Levine reproduced Schiele's distinctive, expressive drawings. Similarly, in "After Edward Weston" (1980), she re-photographed Weston's celebrated nudes. These acts of appropriation questioned the sanctity of the art historical canon and the reverence afforded to these "masters."

Levine's reproductions are meticulous and faithful to the originals, yet their very existence as her works invites viewers to reconsider the value of artistic genius and the myth of the solitary, original creator. By appropriating works from male-dominated art history, Levine also engages in a feminist critique, challenging the patriarchal structures that have traditionally excluded women from artistic recognition and acclaim.

Bronze Sculptures: Appropriation in Three Dimensions

Levine's exploration of appropriation extends beyond photography to include sculpture. In her bronze sculptures, Levine reinterprets iconic works from art history, casting them in a new material and context. Her series "Fountain" (1991) is a notable example, where she re-created Marcel Duchamp's famous readymade using bronze, a material traditionally associated with high art and classical sculpture.

By transforming Duchamp's urinal into a polished bronze sculpture, Levine blurs the lines between readymade and fine art, questioning the hierarchies of value and the distinctions between different artistic media. This act of appropriation in three dimensions highlights Levine's commitment to challenging the boundaries of artistic practice and the assumptions that underpin it.

Digital Appropriation: The Post-Internet Era

As the digital age has transformed the ways in which images are produced, distributed, and consumed, Levine's practice has evolved to address these new realities. In recent years, she has engaged with digital appropriation, exploring how the internet and digital technologies influence the circulation and reception of images.

In works such as "Meltdown" (2003), Levine uses digital manipulation to create abstract compositions from famous artworks. By pixelating and distorting these images, she comments on the ways in which digital technologies can fragment and decontextualize visual information. This approach extends her critique of originality and authorship into the digital realm, highlighting the fluidity and mutability of images in the internet age.

Theoretical and Cultural Impact

Levine's work has had a profound impact on contemporary art theory and practice. Her rigorous engagement with appropriation has inspired critical discussions about the nature of art, the role of the artist, and the cultural significance of images. Levine's practice is deeply informed by postmodernist theories that emphasize the instability of meaning and the constructed nature of cultural narratives.

By appropriating and recontextualizing existing works, Levine challenges the idea that art is a fixed, unchanging entity. Instead, she suggests that meaning is always contingent, shaped by context, interpretation, and the interplay of cultural forces. This perspective has resonated with artists and theorists alike, influencing subsequent generations of practitioners who continue to explore the possibilities of appropriation and recontextualization.

Legacy and Influence

Sherrie Levine's contributions to contemporary art are both profound and far-reaching. Her pioneering work in appropriation art has redefined the boundaries of artistic practice and challenged the fundamental assumptions of originality and authorship. Levine's influence can be seen in the work of numerous contemporary artists who engage with similar themes, using appropriation to critique cultural norms and explore the fluidity of meaning.

Levine's legacy is also evident in the continued relevance of appropriation as a critical strategy in contemporary art. In an era defined by the proliferation of digital images and the blurring of boundaries between original and copy, Levine's work remains a vital touchstone for understanding the complexities of image production, distribution, and reception.

Sherrie Levine's art is a powerful and provocative exploration of the concepts of originality, authenticity, and authorship. Through her meticulous reproductions and recontextualizations of existing works, Levine challenges viewers to reconsider the nature of art and the cultural narratives that shape our understanding of it. Her pioneering practice has left an indelible mark on contemporary art, inspiring critical dialogue and influencing generations of artists. As we continue to navigate an increasingly image-saturated world, Levine's work reminds us of the enduring power of appropriation to disrupt, question, and transform our perceptions of art and culture.