‘Nothing is original’ – Jean Luc Goddard.
Notions of originality. Since nothing is original, I have learnt that is is okay to be inspired by work already available but especially if it is something that inspires your own imagination to take the idea somewhere new.
Consume everything around you. To help this it is important to be constantly aware of things you do, from watching films to television and books. Places you are going, have been, poems, newspapers (this links into cultural context too) books, people, conversations.
Everyone is inspired by something, so bring that to your work. Even the men behind French new wave cinema put underground jazz music in their films they were inspired by- since then director Tarrantino has been influenced in his films by the french new wave films.
I also learnt in this lecture that titles for work are signposts to the context and content, not a description of the piece. It can make the artists meaning clearer, or juxtapose the context to make the audience think.
For example Hirst’s famous diamond skull was titled ‘For the love of God’- an exclamation by his mother on what he was doing, this seems to add even more eccentricity to the piece.
Also in the ‘Origin of War’ by L’Origine de la Guerre, 1989 the piece at first may seem to some vulgar and pornographic however when the title is applied it becomes a cultural statement on our society that men create war.
Taking an idea and changing or manipulating it can create a whole new statement which can be political, social, or personal.
By changing this piece inspired by David by Michael Angelo creates a statement on our ideals and questioning what will be seen as ideal if people continue to overeat.
Be inspired by what is around me, take everything in and give it out in art. Don’t be afraid to be inspired.
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