Doing Information technology Once more Differently

I am a peachy believer in the idea that truly original works of art do occasionally happen just for the most function it is someone unwittingly doing something slightly different from another work that has already been done – a bit like music, the notes are there but somewhen something will sound a niggling similar some other piece.

And on the same note (pardon the pun) considering the scope of the notes and the scope of creativity in general it is whatever wonder repetition doesn't happen more than often.

Then I was non surprised when I heard that two British artists Patrick Waterhouse and Walter Hutton were embarking on a re-imaging of Dante'due south Inferno (part of the allegorical trilogy The Divine Comedy).

Accept time to spotter this though – 'cos they are doing something pretty daunting and the ideas they are expressing hither are captivating in a mini sound-seize with teeth-tv-advertising kind of way.

But….and it is a big But……..

Artists contriving to do what many would regard as blatant plagiarism? – well in that location'due south nix new there and cypher like a chip of preservation-aroused detractors to upward your ante.

Or Artists just showing themselves to be expressing a new and innovative way of *art equally reinvented new*. Certainly commendable and no dubiety the results will be interesting.

But and so the thought seemed to go a wee scrap off the beaten rail when I also heard this was not their own venture but a kind-of-commissioned piece by those masters of advertising (who exit the Saatchi's in the common cold) Benetton.

Benetton Prague
Benetton Prague

The Benetton of babies in cocktail glasses and men dying from aids billboard fame. The Clothes Manufacturer and although the adverts at the time hit the shock horror nosotros-need-to-talk-about-bug zeitgeist and very commendable for that – it always struck me every bit a tiddy bit tacky to use images in this mode to substantially promote your sales – of dress – not an aids related drugs campaign in Africa, say, but dress beingness bought by mainly middle grade Europeans with an aren't nosotros existence edgy feel-expert gene to it.

And it is true when hired lensman Toscani pushed his imagery to the max and upset a fair few people with a death row billboard the visitor did start to reflect on actual hands on rhetoric.

So, along side the ad-campaigns they joined up with The World Food Program and Micro Credit, all organisations with expert intentions at centre. This though was still ad and Ok, at least information technology was *raising sensation* and I'chiliad non sure if any profits were re-directed simply hey! they are not the only company on that tack and lets face up it some are no where well-nigh making the kind of attempt every bit shown on their recent campaigns; Benetton may have a track record for shocking adverts but it is all the same a long way off from many wear manufacturers ducking and diving over human rights and ethical issues.

So what was it this time?. Benetton has been pretty consequent since the mid 60's – fledgling company it is non. And you nonetheless have the green United Colours logo reverberating around the high streets. Along with the dark-green logo Benetton Formula 1 zooming round the tracks.

Benetton F1 1983
Benetton Formula 1 circa 1983

Dante was pretty unique with this epic poetic piece of work and the proper name probably rings a bell somewhere in everyone's collective psyche. A flake like St Paul's alphabetic character to the Corinthians – no ane really knows what was in information technology exactly, but we all know he wrote something.

And so what is the point with this work of art/book advert in the making? Someone somewhere obviously thinks information technology is a proficient idea – advertising is not a whimsical thing in any visitor – the button counters are outset in line to stop any unnecessary money and risk in promotion. And this *projection* has money backing its product.

But in that location is no risk? certainly non like during the affluent xc'southward-2000'southward trail blazers of Toscani 's before information technology.

The ingredients are on the face of it, two relatively unknown Uk artists re-working Dante, an (Italian) national icon, who most people possibly don't know enough nearly to actually become affronted by the potential sacrilege, never listen agreement the re-worked concept. And a post-economic meltdown clothes company giving a pre-advert sound bite.

One thing seems fairly certain this is a commission and how much say-so the artists actually have in their brief may be debatable.

No thing how interesting and maybe even proficient the finished work may be, even by literally doing-it-again-differently.

No affair how much the voice of reason (Benetton) suggests (I suspect) that its intention is to *re-awaken an interest in Dante's work* (which is very applaudable) or fifty-fifty an interest in the artists? Specially if nosotros can easily see the original work likewise to get the intended meaning.

Gustave Dore's engraving in Canto 1 of The Inferno

Gustave Dore'southward Engravings in The Divine Comedy : Dante lost in Canto one of The Inferno

This was a huge work of words and engravings and has been depicted in many dissected parts, in pigment and cartoon, by many artists. How this will work in 2010 – it does audio a fascinating endeavor. It is just the format of procedure that seems a wee bit off.

Delacriox The Barque of Dante

Delacroix : The Barque of Dante

I'm thinking nigh all the detractors of William Orbit'southward Adagio for Strings here. Which as a piece of done-over again-differently music worked really well, I idea. Especially as the original was and then well known, a sound track to almost everything. And although purists rallied to the weep of sacrilege! he I am guessing, had a bit more freedom to create the piece artistically fifty-fifty within the framework of commercial music, equally information technology was produced in the main as music for music'due south sake.

This though seems non to be a wholly creative re-work of the poem'southward imagery, perhaps a measured endeavour at re-inventing information technology: Artists who are already involved with Benetton's Fabrica Centre and then *decide* to exercise the piece and Fabrica fund it.

Then….

If not engineered, it seems a contrived work? to maximise profits past the clothing company'southward specially formulated publicity arm or Communications Enquiry Centre, Fabrica, who are primarily? interested in selling as many wearing apparel off the back of the involvement in the advert campaign as possible in society to satisfy share holders.

If so, this is fine art being used for apparel–equus caballus sake. No matter how minimal the Benetton/Fabrica logo appears in a corner somewhere.

Or maybe I am wrong – she says hopefully:

A manufacturer who (like many are today) desperate to increase sales, decides sod it! dammed if we do dammed if we don't so, we are interested in expanding artistic and social perspectives.

Somehow though, this fourth dimension round the idea of it all just doesn't seem risky or edgy enough.

back with Sundays………