Good Artists Copy, Great Artists Steal

30 April – 2 July 2020

Art is not made in a vacuum and, as Picasso recognised, the question of ownership in art – whether of images or ideas – is contentious. The notion of copying was once distinct from imitation and plagiarism was not stigmatised as it is now. Even originality was a nineteenth century notion. Artists have always borrowed, or stolen from one another in all sorts of ways. Sometimes they’ve lifted a figure from one composition to transpose it into another; other times they have re‐presented another artist’s entire work as their own. Discover how contemporary art and the art of the past are much closer than you think.