Repetition, revision, appropriation and the Western

Abstract

The aim of this research paper is to demonstrate the innate dialogue that exists between the Western genre and Contemporary Art practice. Initially, the fundamental qualities of a ‘Classic’ Western are defined, before moving on to a broader examination of the genre’s key developments and evolutions post World War II. Using George Steven’s Shane as a case study, the paper traces the prominent position of appropriation inside the meta-cinematic form, whilst also tying various filmic examples to the practice’s of visual artists who employ congruous strategies when developing their own work. The paper concludes with a detailed exploration of my own creative practice, highlighting how my theoretical research has informed a body of work that employs prominent connections and appropriations from both cinematic and artistic forms of expression. The exhibited component of my studio research is a three part installation and accompanying online database of film stills. Each piece in the body of work explores the position of the Western genre in the cinematic and contemporary art contexts, representing a refined culmination of my various work and its development through a sustained process of visual and theoretical investigation. All four parts of the project employ the well established revisionist imperatives that characterise the Western and Contemporary Art spheres. Through the combination of these shared practices my work seeks to hybridise the two traditionally separate, but increasingly homogeneous creative mediums.