raae- Ministress of Public Domain Madness

This is far too long.. im sorry.

I think its important for anyone who appreciates their own creativity to look for ‘the new’. This can mean learning a new skill, using a different medium, learning a new program, targeting a new audience, finding a new subject matter, discovering new inspirations…

Recently, i discovered the land of public domain for the first time. The crazy little collection of images contains things i would never even think to search for, old favourites i had neglected passion for and every now and then the perfect image matching the concept in my head.

Public domain refers to the total absence of copyright protection for a creative work.

_{Once in the public domain, a work cannot be removed from it. However, any variation on any public domain work becomes the property of the person making the variation, and it receives an automatic copyright, just as do completely original works.}

A big hunk of my creative arts education was focused on appropriation. I loved it. For me, ‘concept’ has always been more important than ‘skill’. I believe (to some extent) that skills can be developed by anyone. However, the process of developing creative concepts, is a gift. Now that i work in a more commercial profession – i have a lot of appreciation for developing skills, creative concepts and the issue of copyright.

What a remarkable theory that someone can have an idea, and use something already existing to bring it to life. In support of my argument, i offer you this, the ‘icon of the international Dada movement. It took Leonardo Da Vinci God knows how long to paint her. It took Duchamp 3 seconds to turn it into something new and equally powerful.

Should Duchamp be crucified for using an image created with blood and tears of someone else? I guess thats where the skill/concept idea comes in. Moustachio Lisa was reborn through Duchamp, singing a different song, to a new generation. I don’t know of anyone creative who doesn’t appreciate publicity and admiration from a new audience. It’s more than obvious in this case Da Vinci ‘owned’ Duchamp in the skills department… but props to Duchamp for giving Mona some face fuzz and creating something sarcastic, contemporary and an icon of the times.

This brings me too…. t-shirts! A contemporary medium for designers, fine artists and everyone in-between to extract thoughts and ‘get stuff out there’. Combine this with the fruits of public domain and ‘boom’. Never before has making cool stuff been so easy.

But since cool is so obtainable, it takes a little more thought in the concept department to become exceptional. So much so that even the prospect of making some cash requires a t-shirt designer to be pretty fricken exceptional.

Putting a Varga Girl on a t-shirt, for example.

Skill level: minimum.
Concept? Well.. that depends on the consumer.

In my head, something old school and highly regarded slapped on a shirt is a big bowl of crazy concept. Every design is going to tell its own tale, but a Varga Girl on a $3 shirt could be making a big statement about selling out, about the pressure contemporary society puts on artists (especially those who work with young ladies), and the pressure to move to shade of the money tree. It could also be an attempt to direct some attention back to the original artist/art, create some interest and show appreciation for something extravagantly wonderful.

But everyone is going to think differently. I can understand the thought process behind idea that its wrong for someone to make money out of an image that has been created with the skills and time of the original artist. This is where i think appropriation is an important concept for people to grasp.

AND at the end of the day, if you disagree with someones use of a public domain image:
1. Don’t buy what they are selling
2. Contact the powers that be who decide what is PD and what isn’t and tell them you disagree with the usage rights of the image.
3. Avoid making ignorant remarks about the new usage of the work. They probably aren’t the boss of public domain – therefore you can better spend your time complaining to someone more important. Kicking up a fuss will probably just make you look like a cry baby.

Still need more convincing?

There is a whole universe of theories, opinion and information that i can’t even begin to understand or soak up. I think the definition of an idiot should be someone who thinks they know more than everyone else about everything, and has no idea to be open to new things. But the beauty of art and creative thinking is that we have a life time ahead of us to work it all out. There are more than enough people willing to tell me im wrong and morally corrupt, specially when it comes to something as delicate as originality, and money making.

This is in response to a handful of remarks and mail I have received in regards to my recent dive into the PD pool. Hopefully it spells out my position on the matter clear enough. Id like to spend my time on the bubble interacting with people who inspire and encourage the community – not defending myself and answering repeat questions regarding copyright.

• Be open minded
• Continue to question things
• No one likes a cry baby
• Be open to ‘the new’