Appropriation

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  • Collector’s Shit : Detachment from the Collection        Todd Alden        Books        $75.00
  • 36 Views of Mt. Fuji        Steen Bach Christensen        Books        $26.00
  • The Newpaper        Eleanor Brown         / Zines        $1.00
  • Reading The Remove Of Literature        Nick Thurston        Books        $16.00
  • The Cindy Shermans I’d Like To Fuck        Brian Kennon        Books        $300.00
  • A Throw of the Snore Will Surge the Potatoes : John M. Bennett meets Stéphane Mallarmé        Jim Clinefelter        Books / Artists’ Books        $7.00
  • Twentysix Abandoned Gasoline Stations        Jeff Brouws        Books        $20.00
  • FILE Megazine        General Idea        Books        $35.00
  • 100 German Men        Mary Ellen Carroll        Books / Artists’ Books        $10.00
  • Day Magazine        Lenae Day        Periodicals / Artists’ Books        $15.00
  • Soliloquy        Kenneth Goldsmith        Books / Artists’ Books        $25.00
  • 107th Street Watts        Edgar Arceneaux        Buttons        $38.00
  • Seven Suns        Jen DeNike        Books        $25.00
  • Der Uberfall        Hans-Peter Feldmann        Books        $95.00
  • The Holy Bible : Old Testament        David Hammons        Books / Signed        $13,500.00
  • Virtuosen vor dem Berg        Martin Kippenberger        Books / Catalogs        $150.00
  • Calma-Trio : 1986. Jazz Zum Fixsen        Martin Kippenberger, Rüdiger Carl and Albert Oehlen        Books        $150.00
  • En cas de Reclamation les Sentiments Vous Seront Remoursés        Martin Kippenberger        Books / Catalogs        $40.00
  • Kippenbergerweg 25-2-53 : Plakate 1        Martin Kippenberger        Books        $45.00
  • Martin Kippenberger : Bei Nichtgefallen Gefühle zurük. Die gesamten Karten 1989 - 1997        Martin Kippenberger        Books / Catalogs        $28.00
  • New York Times Flag Profile        Michalis Pichler        Books        $5.00
  • Then & Now        Ed Ruscha        Books / Out of Print Books        $175.00
  • Every Building on the Sunset Strip        Ed Ruscha        Books / Signed        $4,000.00
  • Working Drawings And Other Visible Things on Paper Not Necessarily Meant To Be Viewed        Michalis Pichler        Books        $50.00
  • SIX HANDS AND A CHEESE SANDWICH        Michalis Pichler        Books        $10.00
  • Thirtysix Fire Stations        Yann Sérandour        Books        $20.00
  • Between Homes in Toronto        Gary Starks        Books        $9.00
  • Three Trees in a Row        Gary Starks        Books / Signed        $30.00
  • Persistent Huts        Derek Sullivan        Books / Artists’ Books        $15.00
  • The Mule        The Mule, David Blamey, Emma Rushton, Derek Tyman, Roman Vasseur and and David Barrett        Periodicals        $5.00
  • Fifteen Pornography Companies        Louisa Van Leer        Books        $30.00
  • Nochmal Petra        Martin Kippenberger        Books / Catalogs        $26.00
  • Psychobuildings        Martin Kippenberger and Kippenberger        Books / Artists’ Books        $15.00
  • The Canary Searching for a Port in the Storm        Martin Kippenberger        Books / Signed        $200.00
  • William Holden Company : The Hot Tour 4.6.91-3.9.91 3000 km Tanzania, Zaire        Martin Kippenberger        Books / Artists’ Books        $22.00
  • Typings (1974-1977)        Christopher Knowles        Books / Out of Print Books        $15.00
  • Flaubert, un Coeur Simple        Sherrie Levine        Books / Signed        $60.00
  • Diplomatic Passport : X051646        Anne Martens        Books / Artists’ Books        $10.00
  • None of the Buildings on Sunset Strip        Jonathan Monk        Books        $80.00
  • Il Mare Come Artigiano        Bruno Munari        Books        $12.00
  • Burning Small Fires        Bruce Nauman        Books / Out of Print Books        $1,200.00
  • Continuous Project Altered Daily        Jonathan Monk        Books / Catalogs        $39.00
  • 29 Gas Stations and 26 Variety Stores        Toby Mussman        Books / Signed        $25.00
  • 30 Farben        Olaf Nicolai        Books        $45.00
  • Some Faggy Gestures        Henrik Olesen        Books        $59.00
  • Naked Nurses        Richard Prince        Books / Out of Print Books        $250.00
  • Arizona        James Prez        Books / Signed        $15.00

We cannot precisely say what is not appropriation. Impossible to draw a categorical line. Appropriation is practiced everywhere and all the time, also by people who never have heard the word. As someone said before, no author has his complete meaning alone.

The books on this list have in common that they are somewhat more explicit, sometimes strategic… sometimes indulging in borrowing, stealing, appropriating, inheriting, assimilating… being influenced, inspired, dependent, indebted, haunted, possessed… quoting, rewriting, reworking, refashioning… a re-vision, re-evaluation, variation, version, interpretation, imitation, proximation, supplement, increment, improvisation, prequel… pastiche, paraphrase, parody, forgery, homage, mimicry, travesty, shan-zhai, echo, allusion, intertextuality and karaoke.

The other common denominator of the titles compiled here is that they are—or were, at some point—available for purchase from Printed Matter, New York.

+ + +

There are a variety of techniques of appropriation employed (often combined) in books today:

- the strategic use of found and pre-used material, be it image, object, sound, text or thought
- the use of an existing layout scheme or corporate identity (see Kippenberger, especially)
- the 1:1-use or paraphrase of a historic book title, using the same or alluding words, syntax or rhythm
- the reenactment of an “old” concept with “new” material
- the reenactment of “old” material with a “new” concept
- if a book paraphrases one explicit historical or contemporary predecessor in title, style and/or content, this technique is what I would call a “greatest hit”

By now the appropriation and paraphrasing of Ed Ruscha constitutes a genre of its own.

TWENTYSIX GASOLINE STATIONS, VARIOUS SMALL FIRES AND MILK, EVERY BUILDING ON THE SUNSET STRIP, SOME LOS ANGELES APARTMENTS, NINE SWIMMING POOLS AND A BROKEN GLASS, THIRTYFOUR PARKING LOTS, A FEW PALM TREES, REAL ESTATE OPPORTUNITIES, DUTCH DETAILS, BABYCAKES WITH WEIGHTS, 5 GIRL FRIENDS

sounds so Ruscha.

SIX HANDS AND A CHEESE SANDWICH, THREE PALM TREES, BETWEEN HOMES IN TORONTO, TWENTYSIX ABANDONED GASOLINE STATIONS, MORE LOS ANGELES APARTMENTS, 73 HOUSES OF SINEMORETZ, NONE OF THE BUILDINGS ON SUNSET STRIP, THIRTYSIX FIRE STATIONS, 29 GAS STATIONS AND 26 VARIETY STORES, FIFTEEN PORNOGRAPHY COMPANIES, SEVEN SUNS, SOME BELSUNCE APARTMENTS, SOME FALLEN UMBRELLAS AND SOMETHING ELSE

sounds so After-Ruscha.

Eventually this perception, to relate them all “back to Ruscha”, has to do also with the historical attention span of the viewer. It is certainly possible to span a larger arc of tension. We may for example go back into the 18th and 19th century in Japan, when image-based chap-books were published in 3-, even 4-digit-print-runs, most notably under the authorship of Hiroshige and Hokusai:

THE HAUNTED HOUSE OF THE ONE HUNDRED HORRIBLE STORIES, SEVEN FANCIFUL HABITS, SEVEN ASPECTS OF THE ACTOR, FIFTYTHREE STATIONS OF THE TOKAIDO, FOUR SAMURAI FAMILIES, THIRTYSIX VIEWS OF MT FUJI, ONE HUNDRED VIEWS OF MOUNT FUJI, UNUSUAL VIEWS OF FAMOUS BRIDGES IN VARIOUS PROVINCES, ONE HUNDRED POEMS EXPLAINED BY A NURSE

sounds like the appropriation and paraphrasing of Hokusai constitutes a genre of its own.

Did you know, that 12 years before Ed Ruscha published EVERY BUILDING ON THE SUNSET STRIP, a Japanese artist called Yoshikazu Suzuki photographed buildings on Ginza, Tokyo, in almost the same style, and, believe it or not, published it under the title GINZA HACCHO (along with a second volume by Japanese writer and artist Shohachi Kimura) as an accordion foldout book?

Did Ruscha know? Does it matter if he knew? Maybe the belief that an appropriation is always a conscious strategic decision made by an author is just as naive as believing in an “original” author in the first place. Probably the wheel, just as the telephone, too, was invented more than once.

- Michalis Pichler, May 2009

Checklist
  1. Todd Alden
    Collector’s Shit : Detachment from the Collection
    New York, NY: Ted Donald Editions, 1993
    unknown size
    $75.00
  2. Edgar Arceneaux
    107th Street Watts
    Frankfurt, Germany: Revolver Archiv Für Aktuelle Kunst, 2003
    1,000
    Out of stock
  3. Steen Bach Christensen
    36 Views of Mt. Fuji
    Copenhagen, Denmark: Space Poetry, 2008
    500
    Out of stock
  4. Eleanor Brown
    The Newpaper
    London, England: Art After Parties, 2007
    unknown size
    Out of stock
  5. Nick Thurston
    Reading The Remove Of Literature
    York, UK: Information as material, 2006
    1000
    $16.00
  6. Mary Ellen Carroll
    100 German Men
    New York, NY: Presse Endémique, 1998
    unknown
    Out of stock
  7. Jen DeNike
    Seven Suns
    New York, NY: Oliver Kamm 5BE Gallery, 2006
    1000
    Out of stock
  8. Hans-Peter Feldmann
    Der Uberfall
    Cologne, Germany: Wolfgang Hake Verlag, 1975
    350
    Out of stock
  9. General Idea
    FILE Megazine
    Zurich, Switzerland: JRPIEditions (formerly JRPIRingier, 2004-2018), 2008
    Out of stock
  10. Lenae Day
    Day Magazine
    Los Angeles, CA: Lenae Day, 2010
    open
    $15.00
  11. Kenneth Goldsmith
    Soliloquy
    New York, NY: Editions Bravin Post Lee, 1997
    50
    Out of stock
  12. David Hammons
    The Holy Bible : Old Testament
    London, England: Hand and Eye Projects, 2002
    165
    Out of stock
  13. Martin Kippenberger
    Virtuosen vor dem Berg
    Frankfurt, Germany: Galerie Grässlin-Ehrhardt, 1991
    unknown
    Out of stock
  14. Brian Kennon
    The Cindy Shermans I’d Like To Fuck
    Los Angeles, CA: B. Kennon, 2003
    250
    $300.00
  15. Martin Kippenberger, Rüdiger Carl and Albert Oehlen
    Calma-Trio : 1986. Jazz Zum Fixsen
    Frankfurt, Germany: Galerie Grässlin-Ehrhardt, 1986
    c. 1000
    Out of stock
  16. Martin Kippenberger
    En cas de Reclamation les Sentiments Vous Seront Remoursés
    Geneva, Switzerland: Halle Sud, 1989
    c. 1000
    Out of stock
  17. Martin Kippenberger
    Kippenbergerweg 25-2-53 : Plakate 1
    Cologne, Germany: Verlag der Buchhandlung Walther König, 1989
    700
    Out of stock
  18. Martin Kippenberger
    Martin Kippenberger : Bei Nichtgefallen Gefühle zurük. Die gesamten Karten 1989 - 1997
    Cologne, Germany: Buchhandlung Walther König, 2000
    unknown
    Out of stock
  19. Christopher Knowles
    Typings (1974-1977)
    New York, NY: Vehicle Editions, 1979
    1000
    Out of stock
  20. Sherrie Levine
    Flaubert, un Coeur Simple
    Gent, Belgium: Imschoot, Uitgevers and Uitgevers, 1990
    50 + 12 AP
    Out of stock
  21. Anne Martens
    Diplomatic Passport : X051646
    Rochester, NY: A. Martens, 1996
    size unknown
    Out of stock
  22. Jonathan Monk
    Continuous Project Altered Daily
    London, England: ICA Exhibitions, 2006
    unknown
    Out of stock
  23. Jonathan Monk
    None of the Buildings on Sunset Strip
    Frankfurt, Germany: Revolver, 2002
    500
    Out of stock
  24. Bruno Munari
    Il Mare Come Artigiano
    Mantova, Italy: Corraini Edizioni, 1995
    1000
    Out of stock
  25. Toby Mussman
    29 Gas Stations and 26 Variety Stores
    South Portland, ME: T. Mussman, 2005
    size unknown
    Out of stock
  26. Bruce Nauman
    Burning Small Fires
    Los Angeles, CA: B. Nauman, 1968*
    size unknown
    Out of stock
  27. Olaf Nicolai
    30 Farben
    Cologne, Germany: Salon Verlag, 2000
    500
    $45.00
  28. Henrik Olesen
    Some Faggy Gestures
    Zurich, Switzerland: JRP Ringier and Migros Museum für Gegenwartskunst, 2008
    unknown
    Out of stock
  29. Michalis Pichler
    New York Times Flag Profile
    New York, NY: Michalis Pichler, 2003
    1000
    Out of stock
  30. James Prez
    Arizona
    Brooklyn, NY: J. Prez, 2008
    unknown
    Out of stock
  31. Richard Prince
    Naked Nurses
    New York, NY: JMc & GHB editions, 2006
    1000
    Out of stock
  32. Ed Ruscha
    Then & Now
    Göttingen, Germany: Steidl, 2005
    Out of stock
  33. Ed Ruscha
    Every Building on the Sunset Strip
    Los Angeles, CA: Heavy Industry Publications, 1966
    size unknown
    Out of stock
  34. Michalis Pichler
    SIX HANDS AND A CHEESE SANDWICH
    Ljubljana, Slovenia: Zavod P.A.R.A.S.I.T.E., 2011
    3000
    $10.00
  35. Yann Sérandour
    Thirtysix Fire Stations
    Rennes, France: Y. Sérandour, 2004
    600
    Out of stock
  36. Gary Starks
    Between Homes in Toronto
    Toronto, Canada: G. Starks, 1996
    size unknown
    Out of stock
  37. Gary Starks
    Three Trees in a Row
    Toronto, Canada: Gary Starks, 2012
    Open
    $30.00
  38. Derek Sullivan
    Persistent Huts
    New York, NY: Inc. and Printed Matter Inc., 2008
    500
    $15.00
  39. The Mule, David Blamey, Emma Rushton, Derek Tyman, Roman Vasseur and and David Barrett
    The Mule
    London, England: The Mule, 1997
    150,000
    Out of stock
  40. Louisa Van Leer
    Fifteen Pornography Companies
    Los Angeles, CA: L. Van Leer, 2006
    500
    Out of stock
  41. Martin Kippenberger
    Nochmal Petra
    Cologne, Germany: Kunsthalle Winterthur & Galerie Gisela Capitain, 1988
    c. 600-800
    Out of stock
  42. Martin Kippenberger and Kippenberger
    Psychobuildings
    Cologne, Germany: Walther König, 1988
    size unknown
    Out of stock
  43. Martin Kippenberger
    The Canary Searching for a Port in the Storm
    New York, NY: David Nolan Gallery, 1991
    120
    Out of stock
  44. Jim Clinefelter
    A Throw of the Snore Will Surge the Potatoes : John M. Bennett meets Stéphane Mallarmé
    Columbus, OH: Luna Bisonte Productions, 1998
    size unknown
    Out of stock
  45. Martin Kippenberger
    William Holden Company : The Hot Tour 4.6.91-3.9.91 3000 km Tanzania, Zaire
    Berlin, Germany: Wewerka & Weiss Galerie, 1991
    c. 1000
    $22.00
  46. Jeff Brouws
    Twentysix Abandoned Gasoline Stations
    Santa Barbara, CA: J. Brouws, 1992
    size unknown
    Out of stock
Last updated 9/9/2020
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