Sherrie Levine's version of the Fountain

Sherrie Levine is an American appropriation artist. An appropriation artist is an artist that takes already established works of art and re-uses them with slight alteration. Many question the field as being actual art for they are basically copying other artist's works. I believe that is a gray area. I do not think it is art because I have grown up using turnitin.com and living by the Aggie code of honor "an aggie does not lie, cheat, or steal." In a way, appropriation art is copyright infringement for even paraphrasing somebody's literature work requires citation. However... appropriation art still provokes an artist's statement, and I believe that statements are a critical aspect of art.

In the case of Sherrie Levine, one of her main concepts or statement is the lack of female representation in art history. One of her most famous pieces is her Fountain, a recreation of Marcel Duchamp's.

Sherrie Levine's version                                         vs.                                 Marcel Duchamp's version

Marcel Duchamp created his work that had a statement that he could take anything, put his signature on it, and call it art. This was a monumental act in the art world for Duchamp criticized artist's who produce less the par works. However, it had a reverse effect and empowered artist to have the ability over critics to say what art is. Levine's version has the obvious alteration of being gold. This could be interpreted as, given the same respect and opportunity, women could have been just as influential, if not more, the Marcel Duchamp's Fountain. It is also a different type of urinal, referencing the different genders. Another interpretation could be that her recreating the Fountain (male urinal() and painting it gold is a symbolic mockery, as putting the male figure in the art realm on a pedestal.