Here's Why You Shouldn't Stop Saying 'I Could Do That' About Art

Just read this article - Here's Why You Should Stop Saying 'I Could Do That' About Art The Huffington Post Australia by Katherine Brooks 09/042015. Of course she's and everybody who agrees with her is wrong but as artists, for some very strange reason, we staunchly protect this untruth - it should read - Here's Why You Shouldn't Stop Saying 'I Could Do That' About Art. Just for the record I've been involved with this issue for an awfully long time - since 1967 to be exact, when the work shown above was conceived and exhibited, titled "Fragments of a larger system" it was not offered for sale but people were given permission to get their own version from their local plumbing suppliers. It is in fact a work that anyone can make but differs from most others because I've actually authorised you to do so. 

There's always a funny side to things like this - when the National Gallery of Victoria wanted it for their collection they approached me and I said, "Just go down to the nearest plumbing supplies and get your own." "No no," they replied "we must buy it from you". Me - "OK then, this is what I'll do - I'll go out and buy them and charge you exactly what they cost me"....... National Gallery Happy. 

There are countless works like this that anyone could make, just check out the Carl Andre catalogue on the net for a start. You could graduate to single colour paintings just buy ready made canvases and pots of ready mixed colours, browse the internet for anything that may be dead easy to get.

Ah but there's only one catch, never claim that it is YOUR art, it isn't, it is, instead, a forgery. But like with most things there is even a away around that little problem. There is a very long tradition in art of permitting and even encouraging people to copy other artist's work, it is seen as an important educative tool, but there is a convention that goes with it, you are obliged to declare that it is a copy by using the word "after" in your title, so if you make your own  Carl Andre Equivalent V111 brick work, you should call it Equivalent V111 after Carl Andre 1966-69.