Greek Paintings: Not Appropriation, but Maybe Easy

This funny appropriation of Rodin’s “Thinker” is by Nathan Mabry. It’s called Process Art: Dead Men Don’t Make Sculpture (2008). It’s installed with the figure’s back to the street, silly in itself, but the punch-line is when you come around and find the Halloween mask, in bronze, on his face. Kloe likes it.
Appropriation is a hard concept for students to grasp, especially when we teachers punish plagiarism in writing so harshly. I’ve been referencing Greek sculpture in my new paintings, not appropriating. Hopefully making something new that evokes the sensuality of the original marbles, but using white paint. A friend told me this work needs more edge, and I realized it’s a bit tame, but my last series was so risky I can’t even show it (that’s why I haven’t talked about it on this blog, or posted it on Art of Kloe). So maybe I need to take it easy and play safe for a while.