INTERACTION AND REINTERPRETATION IN ART

The fascinating concept of originality, drawing inspiration from others

Pushing boundaries, exploring new media, and addressing current social, political, and cultural issues, contemporary beauty creators make a significant contribution to the art world. They are artists who, with their innovative approaches and thought-provoking works, continue to shape unusual itineraries. Their journeys of individuation, extraordinary experiences that allow us to get closer to cultures, lead us to mental landscapes and latitudes that are not our own. These itineraries from one place of the mind to another, offer new perspectives and fresh ideas, both to those who want to emulate them, and to those who simply look out of their creative windows. The concept of originality in art is complex and fascinating, however, originality does not necessarily imply the total absence of influences; many artists draw inspiration from previous works, but manage to transform them into something personal and innovative. Originality can manifest itself in using new materials or methods of execution, developing a distinctive visual language, tackling new topics or treating known themes from new perspectives. Originality and innovation, as the digital artist Dastilige Nevante testifies, can also arise from the interaction and reinterpretation of what has already been done by eight truly special creatives.

Contemporary painters who have made significant contributions to the art world? Known for her conceptual portraits, Cindy Sherman explores themes of identity and representation through her self-portraits. Jeff Koons’s work, on the other hand, often blurs the lines between high and low art, has gained notoriety for his reproductions of mundane objects. Ever heard of Mark Rothko? Although he passed away in 1970, his influence on contemporary art remains strong, especially his color field paintings. You’d be familiar with Banksy, the street artist whose politically charged and satirical works have garnered international recognition. Kehinde Wiley, I might describe her to you for her vibrant, large-scale portraits, creations that challenge traditional views of power and representation. Julie Mehretu’s abstract works, often inspired by urban planning and architecture, are characterized by complexity and dynamism. Cecily Brown, whose paintings are influenced by abstract expressionism, are characterized by bold colors and energetic brush strokes. A pioneer of minimalism and post-painterly abstraction? Frank Stella, the genius who continues to influence contemporary artists. Finally, Keith Haring, whose graffiti- and activist-inspired art has left a lasting impact on contemporary art and culture. Each of these artists brought their unique vision and style to contemporary art, pushing boundaries and inspiring new generations of artists.

When there was a female protest in America, she appropriated the male stereotype of the sensual woman, interpreting it in the first person in an ironic way. She is known for transforming herself into various characters and personalities, often using costumes, makeup, and props to create these identities. Cindy Sherman, known for her conceptual portraits, uses photography as her primary medium. The work of this creative woman is often described as postmodern and feminist, as it criticizes stereotypes and roles imposed by society. She loves to explore themes of identity, representation, and the construction of femininity. One of her most famous series is “Untitled Film Stills,” in which she posed as various female characters reminiscent of mid-20th-century B-movies. These images play with visual and cultural codes, challenging traditional notions of gender and identity. In her later works, she continued to evolve her style, even exploring themes of the grotesque and the artificial.

An artist known for his kitschy works, ironically illustrates the American way of life and the corresponding national tendency towards consumerism. His goal is to create work that does not make viewers feel patronized, encouraging open participation. His paintings and sculptures often feature smooth, highly reflective surfaces and bright, saturated colors. One of his most famous series is the “Banality” series, which features sculptures of everyday objects such as balloon animals made of stainless steel. Jeff Koons is known for his Neo-Pop aesthetic, often incorporating photorealistic and commercial elements. Incredibly, his “Easy Fun-Ethereal” series combines bikinis, food, and landscapes in a collage approach, often painted under his supervision by assistants. Koons’s work is characterized by his reverence for popular culture and ironic appropriations of consumer objects. His creative streak often plays with scale and surface, transforming mundane objects into sumptuous icons.

The child who would grow an expressionist, abstract and informal creative streak, emigrated to the United States in 1913, attended Yale University and ended up moving to New York, where he studied with Max Weber at the Art Students League. The layers of color in his work create a sense of depth and space. His paintings are often quite large, encouraging viewers to get closer and be enveloped in the color. Mark Rothko is celebrated for his color field paintings that focus on large, soft-edged blocks of color that appear to float on the canvas. His work is known for its deep emotional impact, often evoking a contemplative or meditative response in the viewer. Key elements of his style include accuracy in color relationships, abstract forms, and atmospheric depth. Rothko carefully chooses colors to create specific emotional effects. He layers thin layers of pigment to achieve a luminous, brilliant quality. He moved away from figurative art, instead focusing on creating a sensory experience through abstract forms and fields of color. Rothko’s intent was for viewers to experience an emotional connection with his work.

His father is originally from Nigeria, while his mother is African American. Known for his highly realistic and heroic portraits of contemporary black people, he grew up in Los Angeles, California with his mother and five siblings. His style is characterized by a photorealistic approach combined with dense, decorative patterns inspired by a variety of sources, including classical portraiture, Islamic architecture, and hip-hop culture. Kehinde Wiley is known for his vibrant, powerful portraits, often featuring young African-American men and women. Wiley’s work reimagines traditional art historical themes, positioning his subjects in poses reminiscent of Old Master paintings. This juxtaposition challenges conventional views of power and representation, celebrating the beauty and dignity of his subjects. One of his most celebrated series is “The World Stage.” In this series, he traveled to different nations and cultures to portray young black men, placing them in contexts that reflect local history and art. Each portrait is a vibrant fusion of realism and decorative pattern, emphasizing the cultural richness and identity of his subjects.

An Ethiopian-born American artist known for her large-scale multilayered abstract paintings; she began creating drawings in the second half of the 1990s. She experiments with her own creative language of abstract ink marks, geometric lines, directional arrows and organic shapes, to which she adds city maps. Her work, which offers a dynamic and evolving perspective on the contemporary world, is a blend of modern and traditional technologies. Julie Mehretu is a contemporary painter known for her large-scale abstract works, characterized by dense and complex layers of marks, lines and shapes. Her artistic style combines elements of Abstract Expressionism and Pop Art, influenced by important 20th-century painters such as Wassily Kandinsky, Kazimir Malevich and Piet Mondrian. Her works often depict global urban landscapes, using architecture, maps, building plans and geographical patterns. Mehretu creates multidimensional compositions that explore community connections to place and identity, reflecting the sociopolitical history of specific locations. An example of her creativity is the series “Mogamma: A Painting in Four Parts”, which references the government complex in Tahrir Square in Cairo.

Raised in England, after spending six months in New York as an exchange student in 1992, she returned there to give her figurative painting renewed energy and meaning. Her works often explore themes of sexuality and the body, using a technique that blends rigorous compositional structures with an intuitive intensity. Her works are characterized by bright colors, bold brush strokes, and a sense of movement that gives her compositions a palpable energy. Cecily Brown is a contemporary painter known for her style that combines sexual imagery with a gestural approach of Abstract Expressionism. Brown is influenced by contemporary artists such as Willem de Kooning, Francis Bacon, and Joan Mitchell, as well as by old masters such as Rubens, Poussin, and Goya.

Born in Massachusetts, this minimalist painter and sculptor, the firstborn of a couple of Italian origins, lived and worked between New York and Newburgh His works often create a visual experience that engages the audience, inviting them to reflect on the relationship between color, form, and space. His art is distinguished by the use of geometric shapes, bright colors, and flat surfaces. He has continued to reinvent himself throughout his career, contributing significantly to the world of modern art. Frank Stella is an American painter and printmaker known for his style that influenced Minimalism and Abstract Expressionism. Stella was one of the pioneers of the Minimalist movement, known for his works that emphasize flat surfaces and geometric forms. His early works, such as the “Black Paintings,” feature precise, parallel black stripes that emphasize the flatness of the painting. Over time, however, he introduced bright colors into his works, creating dynamic and vibrant compositions. This creative talent experimented with irregular and non-traditional canvas shapes, moving art from three-dimensional representation to the perception of the work as an object in itself.

Born in Pennsylvania, he spent most of his childhood in Kutztown, where, encouraged by his father, he revealed a strong inclination for drawing. He addressed social and political issues through his art, including the AIDS epidemic, apartheid, and LGBTQ+ rights. His stylized figures and iconic symbols, such as “radiant babies” and barking dogs, became emblematic of his work. He was known for his distinctive creative style that combined street art and pop art. Keith Haring‘s works were characterized by bold lines and vivid figures, often painted in bright colors. Haring used public spaces, such as New York City subway stations, as canvases for his drawings, making art accessible to all. His art reflected a message of love, hope, and activism, using creativity as a tool for social change.