One of my dance teachers once told me "There are no new steps. They've all been done. It's the order and the spirit in which you dance them that makes a difference."
This is very true although it does not apply only to dance. Especially in today's digital world, there is very little that has not been done as far as the arts and people struggle to make their work original. Artists are inspired by the work of other artists and mimicry is well known to be the highest form of flattery. This is the way it has been for ages upon ages and it is probably the way it is going to remain for ages to come.
In regard to the digital age, the computer in its many forms has been evolving not just for the past several decades but perhaps for centuries. Man's tools have been evolving for thousands upon thousands of years. In response to the instructor audio about digital media, man has been depending on his tools for so long I believe that it is impossible for us the to live without any tools at this point. I also believe that like a child with a security blanket, we wouldnt want to give up any of our tools today, especially the computer. The computer, which apparently evolved from the Daguerrotype, has become an essential part of even daily life in this era. Anyway, I digress. This blog is not about our dependence on technology but about how most of our tools and artworks have been "passed down" if you will, from other artists. The concept of originality in the art world is an illusion. In this world, anything that can be thought can be done and the human mind, though amazing, does have its limits. Most, if not all works of art, be they dance, visual art, theatre, or music have a "mother piece" that inspired their maker, consciously or not.
Therefore, I think the idea of mental property and originality are somewhat bogus, though one should always respect the idea of the person who creates an "original" work of art and their sense of ownership to it.
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