Why appropriation? Joe Fig extends his exploration of the practice into and out of the realm of novelty. Here, he delves into the experience of the landscape of an artwork—its dimensions, positions, neighbors, and responses to light and to us, its inhabitants. And he does all of this while bringing us face to face almost deadpan with the work itself. Is he describing or demystifying?
While replicating a piece of art to the best of his ability, Fig also depicts the environment of its display and reception, adding audience response, inclusion, and participation in the work. He shows how people see it and posture before it, as well as how that plays into the configuration of the whole. Fig also adds shadows to the mix—those engendered by the viewers and by the shape of the edges of a canvas. How does the audience feel when it sees an art object? What does the body language of a viewer say? How do they take possession of the work? And do they really?
