by Leonard Keigher

Created on: September 28, 2009

For the past 150 years it has been possible for artists to easily incorporate a variety of photomechanical images into a painting. For example James Rosenquist creates vast images incorporating a contempory city scape... The Pop art movement enshrines the icons of modern culture.. and Marilyn Monroe ultimately is as "important" an image as is the well recognized Campbells Soup can. There are of course copyright laws that apply to photography and other mechanically produced imagery. These laws need to be considered, though the courts have generally decided in favor of the painter over the photographer.

300 years ago everything was copied by hand. These copies included student studies of the great old masters. Today students still copy directly in pencil and paint. However, it's now possible to create more exact copies of the old master works. By using a optically projected photo, it's possible to exactly position certain images on a canvas, so there is little difference between them and the original painting. Additionally a small image can be easily enlarged and a large image reduced. It's also possible to manipulate a digital image so that the colors are totally different from the original. Texture, line, contrast, and hue can all be manipulated with computer programs. The resulting image can be printed directly on canvas or high quality paper. The inks used are far superior to the older ones used in regular lithography and etching.

Because of the tremendous technical advances available to the artist the borderline between art and techical production has become blurred. This is not really such a bad thing. After all conceptions and design are ultimately important to creating a memorable image. Which is not to say that the artists' ability to manipulate a more traditional medium successfully is unimportant. The semi spontaneous textured brushwork of Monet's paintings is fully as important as the color and concept to creating a memorable masterpiece such as the Rouen Cathedral series. Rembrandts heavy application of paint was also an integral part of the impact of his work. If we take a modern technique, such as Carborundum and Aquatint used effectively by 2 great masters Tapies and Miro, we can only stand back in awe and perplexity as we attempt to grasp the sheer density of the powerful prints that they have created.

Finally, we must consider whether art has been enriched by the appropriation ofimages by contempory artists. I for one think it has indeed been enriched. Remember not all creations called art rise to a level of inspired competence. I say let the results of these experiments in creativity stand on their ability to attract or at least profoundly impact the viewer. In this situation, when the viewer stands with little or no reaction(yea or nay!), then I say the result does not rise to level of what should be called serious art.

Learn more about this author, Leonard Keigher.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.