Repertoire and artistic property

Anyone with a knowledge of twentieth-century art history knows that the reuse of images is of all times, and all arts: painters, musicians, theatre makers, and dancers all sought a way of dealing with the artistic canon. They copied, adapted or made contemporary adaptations of canonical works. Increasingly strict copy-right regulations, however, accuse artists who openly draw on the work of others of plagiarism. At the same time, in some art forms, there is such a respect for the artistic canon that the public is averse to any form of experiment or innovation. This tension between creativity, artistic or intellectual property, and the canon is central to this dossier.