La Fortune (after Man Ray: 3) by Sherrie Levine made in 1990 was a particularly difficult piece for me. Initially when I looked at the piece I thought ok it’s a pool table with only three balls. But I felt very foolish when someone pointed out that there were no pockets for the balls to got into, so it couldn't be a pool table not to mention that it is much larger than a normal sized pool table. This piece is set up in the middle of the room at an angle with nothing around it. On the table there are two off white balls and one red ball all spread out around the table. This piece was made in response to La Fortune by Man Ray, which was made in 1938. La Fortune depicts a large pool table with two off white balls and one red one is extending into the sky where there are different colored clouds and mountains along the horizon.
In many of Sherrie Levine works she takes elements from other pieces of art and incorporates them into her own work. She particularly focuses on works by men that associate themselves with modernism and avant-garde in the 20th century. The concept used by Levine is one that can be interpreted as an expressiveness, feminist strategy, or originality and creativity.
When I heard form out tour guide at WAC that this piece was made in response to a mans work and made the main focal point to that work into her own, I initially felt like that was wrong. I realize that she took the piece out of context and made it her own, but that still fells a lot like steeling to me. I was also told that she made this piece during the feminist movement showing that women have power and can do it just as well as men can. I am all about feminism however I don't think that this should be your entire reason for taking a man's piece of art and making it your own.
Image form
http://www.artsconnected.org/collection/108219/surrealism?print=true#%281%29
http://www.davidrumsey.com/amica/amico682299-125163.html
http://www.artsconnected.org/resource/110616/sherrie-levine-la-fortune-after-man-ray-3-1990
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