Original or Derivative Art

Our search for the ultimate original artwork has brought us to the root of originality, its definition.

Originality (wikipedia) is the aspect of created or invented works by as being new or novel, and thus can be distinguished from reproductions, clones, forgeries, or derivative works.

This definition establishes a complex paradox as an original artwork cannot be a derivative, yet the term is so broad that everything has the potential to be a derivative of something.   This is particularly relevant in the art world as the line between unoriginal derivatives of established norms and original works simply inspired by these norms is blurred.

Art is often inspired by existing objects, concepts, forms, or thoughts; those same influences that have led the crafts of countless artists since the dawn of time.  We take it for granted that the world around us shapes our thoughts but do not realize that this same influence boxes our minds into reality and makes our thinking less original.  People walk on the ground, clouds hover above us, red is red, and blue is not green.

An artwork inspired by such external influence may be argued as unoriginal since it is a derivative of the exact influence that inspired it.  If this is the case then we would argue that all human made art is  not original as it is created by people and all people are inspired by their surroundings.

Now we have gone too far.  The nonexistence of original art, as implied by taking the definition of “derivative work” too literally, is nonsensical and therefore we offer an alternative translation.  The critical aspect that separates original art from a derivative work is whether the artwork bends the influences it is based on and presents its audience a new, original perspective.  It is about the resulting message, not the origin.

We often applaud art that flies in the face of dominant, and sometimes oppressive, norms and stereotypes as we realize and admire its original perspective.  We do not consider it original because it is free external influence, on the contrary, we consider it original because it takes that same influence and provides us an original take on it.

To be original, art need not be uninspired, it should simply be different.