In this lesson, we will take on the roles of art historians, legal defenders/prosecutors and street artists to conceive of appropriation in art from a variety of perspectives. In order to do this, follow these guidelines:
-Study the Pop Art of Andy Warhol and the Street Art of Shepard Fairey; compare and contrast the subject matter, styles, materials, and audience.
-Investigate copyright law and how it relates to post-modern and contemporary art.
-Research the Shepard Fairey copyright controversy and identify arguments in favor of appropriation and against it. Form teams and develop arguments as legal defenders or prosecutors; present the arguments to class members in a mock-trial forum.
-As a class, design and create a large-scale work of "street art" to be displayed in a common area of the school. Implement techniques as demonstrated in footage of the street artists at work. The techniques may include stencils, posters, stickers and printing. Develop subject matter based on appropriated images and personal creativity--but be sure to stay within the boundaries of copyright law.