ITAP; week 3, Principle 3 - Relationships Developed From Existing Forms Of Culture

Principle 3 Relationships Developed From Existing Forms Of Culture

  

   The original intention of the cultural pieces have been recontextulised ideas and concepts in contemporary culture, reintroducing the ideas of religion and culture into a more modernised mannerism, fitting in with the current climate and society, adapting the context of pieces to be able to reach the audience upon a range of different levels, utilising modern theory as well as historical theory.
   In modern society, many commercial groups such as Vogue use reference to historical imagery to create campaigns to promote, and advertise products through photography, using the original source image as the influence for the photo shoot.

    However, despite the artists intentions of authentication of creating a more pastiche piece based of an original concept and art form, it is believed that this could be classified as cultural vandalism through the recontextulised pieces, making reference to religious and historical works of art, besmirching their relevance and importance of the original art pieces relation to culture, such as the artists the Chapman Brothers.

 

Botticelli - Venus and Mars - 1484

 

The original concept of this imagery is based around the idea that love conquers all, as Mars, the god of war is left unarmed and relaxed with his lover Venus, showing the power of their connection, it also shows the peaceful and tranquil environment through their surroundings encouraging the idea this is what has made Mars so relaxed.The family environment shows the royalties that they have in life, are surrounding them without the need for wealth or power.  

 

David Lachapelle - The Rape of Africa - 2009
 

This is the reconceptualised imagery of Botticelli's original piece, showing the change in culture in modern society, but still using the cultural aspects of the original piece. The undescriptor of this image gives a slight indication to the context of the imagery and what the content of the photograph is designed to emote to the audience.
   The visual elements within the imagery have been intensified within this authentic adaptation of the original image, showing the development over time and the development of culture over time. This reconceptualised adaptation shows the contrast of how the previous cultural visualisation of a simplistic, calm and loving environment, is compared to Lachapelle's cultural visualisation of our current society of destruction, the occurrence of violence, and greed.
   Considering the concept of the differentiation of these two images, they share similar qualities due to Lachapelle using Botticelli's work for cultural reference and as a source for him to reshape the idea of culture through time producing pastiche work based on the original image. Therefore this shows a development of relationship of contemporary art forms, and historical cultural pieces.