Appropriation Art

c. 1975–1990s

Appropriation Art developed within postmodern contexts of mass media and reproduction. Artists reused photographs, artworks, and commercial imagery with minimal alteration. Meaning arises from context and re-framing rather than creation from scratch. The movement challenged legal, ethical, and aesthetic assumptions about art.

I Shop Therefore I Am

Barbara Kruger

1987

Bold text-image work critiquing consumer culture and identity.

Untitled (Cowboy)

Richard Prince

1989

Re-photographed advertising imagery questioning masculinity and ownership.