Hi Julien! Thanks for another great essay. I loved the narrative you wove into it and how you explore different ways of seeing and understanding what we are seeing. This got me thinking a lot about the reasons people plagiarize, and plagiarizing as a verb. Biologically, it reminded me of how a lot of wildlife species will rely on mimicry for survival. From butterflies, to snakes, to fish, it is interesting that living things have such an acute eye for "more successful" traits and a leniency to emulate them. When we talk about art however, I feel like the human species is so self-aware that it is hard to see these mimicry behaviors as an "evolutionary advantage." To me it feels a lot more intentional, premeditated. What's more inadvertent perhaps is the repercussions to the original artist's livelihood and sense of self.
Ooooh the mimicry metaphor is so interesting! I think there is something to be said about trends pushing a certain stylistic homogeneity, which creates a demand for very (in appearance) similar works, and therefore drives a lot of mimicry among creatives.
Hi Julien! Thanks for another great essay. I loved the narrative you wove into it and how you explore different ways of seeing and understanding what we are seeing. This got me thinking a lot about the reasons people plagiarize, and plagiarizing as a verb. Biologically, it reminded me of how a lot of wildlife species will rely on mimicry for survival. From butterflies, to snakes, to fish, it is interesting that living things have such an acute eye for "more successful" traits and a leniency to emulate them. When we talk about art however, I feel like the human species is so self-aware that it is hard to see these mimicry behaviors as an "evolutionary advantage." To me it feels a lot more intentional, premeditated. What's more inadvertent perhaps is the repercussions to the original artist's livelihood and sense of self.
Ooooh the mimicry metaphor is so interesting! I think there is something to be said about trends pushing a certain stylistic homogeneity, which creates a demand for very (in appearance) similar works, and therefore drives a lot of mimicry among creatives.