Copy a Copy a Copy | Molly Springfield | The Art Assignment

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This week we meet D.C. based artist Molly Springfield. Molly's graphite drawings transform texts into images, and her assignment for you asks you to consider how repeating a process can turn a copy into an original.
INSTRUCTIONS - Copy A Copy A Copy
1. Select a page from a book and make a photocopy of it
2. Make a photocopy of the photocopy and make changes, if you like, by enlarging, reducing, etc.
3. Repeat step #2 until the original has been transformed into a new image
4. Upload the final copy using #theartassignment (Extra credit if you make a work in a new medium!)
5. Fame and glory (Your work might be in a future episode)
Learn more about Molly's work:
mollyspringfield.com/home.html
We then discussed artists like Mel Bochner that used the photocopier in their conceptual art since its beginnings.
Find out more about The Art Assignment and how to submit your response: theartassignment.com/

[@Anna31415926]

I love this show because at the beginning I was like 'why would anyone do this....' but then, as the video went on I began to understand the concept more, and find the whole thing fascinating!

[@theartassignment]

+Anna31415926 Hooray! We did our job. Phew. (Thanks for watching through.)

[@PatrickStaight]

This is really fascinating. It's fun to see someone so dedicated to a thing and have them share it with you. I'll admit, at first I was sceptical of this artwork's noteworthiness but then I realized how genuine Molly's enthusiasm is. I realized, it doesn't really matter how this ranks on some preconceived scale of impact, vision or technique I may have. I travel to museums to be nourished and escape the concrete squares my city is made of. This installation is definitely not a prank perpetrated by an artist and a museum curator.

[@erinwhite2350]

I love this concept because the act of copying a page becomes the exact opposite

[@suzanneakkerhuis9189]

this channel provides the best distraction from my math homework that actually feels productive :p

[@TwinkTwinkle]

+Suzanne Akkerhuis Change 'math' to 'Dutch sign language' and that's me XD

[@99thTuesday]

Reminds me of a writing project my english teacher once gave my class where we had to reproduce a famous passage but use synonyms of the original words.

[@theartassignment]

+99thTuesday That sounds both fun and an excellent way to illustrate how critical word choice is. Were you then asked to guess what your classmates passages were?

[@99thTuesday]

+The Art Assignment We did try but we didn't get too far with our fourteen year old knowledge of literature.

[@0justBETHANY]

The copy machine I used turned the text into super sick squiggles. Then I hit the zoom 200% button and I squealed really loud. It was the coolest looking thing. Def try this! You can go on forever with this. It's addictive.

[@theartassignment]

+0justBETHANY YES. Do share.

[@indubitablyzara]

This really intrigues me because it seems both easy and really interesting. I think I might do it tomorrow after a meeting I have in the library!

[@zecordeiro99]

i feel so productive and smart after watching the aa, love it

[@HeatherSteckler]

Interesting assignment! I had a similar assignment in my 2D design class last semester and I felt like it really opened me up to accepting chance into the process of creation!

[@ali-cia-2727]

Definitely doing this!

[@AnotherGradus]

_"What gets lost from the analog to the digital"_-- an artifact of our time, really. Take for example, the linear book-scanners used for projects like Google Books-- the high-fidelity scans become preserved and timeless, blemish-free and removed mostly from the entropy cycle. Technology will eventual improve to the point where scans are identical to source-- that ought to mess with conceptual artists bent on displacing ideas of art-objects and authenticity.

[@theartassignment]

+Paul Keefer Good points. Although "loss" can be interpreted in other ways, right? The loss that happens when analog goes digital in books is the physical interaction with the book-object. The feel of the pages, dog-earing pages, handwriting in notes, the smell of a book, etc. I do see what you mean, though.

[@davin2002]

use a fax

[@cz2301]

nah, when technology changes, new ideas will come up - (conceptual) art is a whack-a-mole game.

[@hundhund183]

Oh this is so fascinting and inspirational! I'm really excited for this assignement! Thanks so much for these challenging videos bu the way! :D

[@theartassignment]

+TheRealWorldTV You are very welcome. Thanks for watching (and hopefully participating)!

[@douglasphillips5870]

For how many people was this project the same as your first summer office job?

[@ragnkja]

I have decided to use my copy of the _Arban Method_, the pages of which are significantly larger than the A4 paper that's standard here, which I suppose is part of the assignment. Now all that's left is to choose a page or pair of pages, which will probably be something I had as a trumpet assignment as a teenager.

[@BrianHutzellMusic]

Timely! I am near the end of reading Walter M. Miller’s book “A Canticle for Leibowitz,” in which copying plays a large role.

[@KannikCat]

Hmmm, what immediately comes to mind is to do this project using the same book that was the inspiration for a triptych I made 20+ years ago.... it'd be a nice closing of the circle. :)

[@Tigermond1]

A completely unrelated question (sorry): Could you try to post (i.e. reblog) more frequently on the art assignment response tumblr? I really appreciate that it exists as a place where all of the responses are saved and brought together and I feel like there are too many good responses that just got lost in the nirvana of tumblr lately.

[@theartassignment]

+Tigermond1 Absolutely! We're constantly working on this and trying to catch them all :)

[@CultClassic]

Oh this is great. I have plenty of old and great scientific publications to this with.

[@lemonlemonster]

I'm surprised a mention of zines wasn't in the art history animation. That's one of these first things I think of with photocopiers. Also suggestion: public libraries are good places for those that don't have photocopiers easily accessible.

[@theartassignment]

+lemondirgopie Really great thought. I did think about that as I was researching the history of photocopies, along with how photocopies aided protest movements, etc. Thanks for mentioning.

[@tommccarry7600]

So cool! Thanks for including us into your process, Molly! Is there place we should upload a "copy" of our finished work?

[@theartassignment]

+Tom McCarry Anywhere you like, Tom, just be sure to include #theartassignment. We monitor Tumblr, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and KZbin for responses.

[@PatrickStaight]

I'm interested in the relationship between photocopier technology and zine popularity. From my understanding zines like "Illuminati Girl Gang", "The Archives" and "Pink Mince" where collaborative social outlets like the internet, before there was the internet.

[@Tigermond1]

There is one particular book that I'm thinking of right now, but I honestly don't know if it's even possible to put in on a photocopier without damaging it. I'm already extremely cautious everytime I just take it in my hands and I think I wouldn't have the heart to photocopy it.

[@zioscozio]

You could start by taking a picture of it if photocopying it is a problem.

[@ConnieTryon]

+The Art Assignment what is the best way to reply an uploaded assignment? twitter? Instagram? etc?

[@theartassignment]

+Connie Tryon Tumblr, Twitter, or Instagram are all fine! Just tag them with #theartassignment and we'll find them.

[@zioscozio]

This is totally doable and sounds like fun! Expect a flurry of submissions from me!

[@zioscozio]

Only without a photocopier it's quite hard... I'm doing roundtrips between scanner and printer!

[@friendfortheartists]

It's amazing how the Torah was so accurately copied. Check that out.

[@ec8927]

Could do this with photography, too.

[@scabiniful]

i think part of my soul dies every time i see the spine of a book being cracked D: i really like this assignment but if i want to do it im either going to have to find a book thats already worn down (which eliminates every book i own, but may lead to a fun trip to the library) or think of an alternative (i saw a mention of sheet music in the comments and that sounds really interesting).

[@theartassignment]

+scabiniful Yes, yes, it can be text from any sort of page or surface. We had a great submission today from someone who photocopied the outside of a bag. No need to ruin your books!

[@strange2684]

I don't have access to a photocopier, but a scanner/printer would have the same effect; correct?

[@theartassignment]

+foreversandals Try it and find out for us :).

[@ragnkja]

The paper size restrictions in this assignment aren't very international. I cannot complete it unless I'm allowed to interpret it as A4 or A3, so that the paper that's used in photocopiers here can be used.

[@ragnkja]

+Nillie Also, I am fairly familiar with how copies of copies of copies (etc.) end up looking from how sheet music often undergoes that particular process.

[@theartassignment]

+Nillie you can definitely use any size paper that's standard in your area!

[@Coretltd]

See also, Marlene Weisman

[@susanapaco7401]

Without a photocopy machine to use, maybe I'll try a photo of a photo of a photo ? Should be interesting to do it with several cameras/smartphones :)

[@theartassignment]

+Susana Paço Would love to see this assignment interpreted this way.

[@cog592]

I don't have a printer or a scanner or anything :(

[@JessieCarty]

I don't either but I have a cell phone! I can take a picture and then put it onto my computer and change the settings. Or even on my phone I can screenshot the image and zoom in and then screenshot again etc. But, I'm also thinking about seeing how many I could make for like $5 at Staples LOL I also want to tag #AnnoConvo to consider this along with the other discussions of marginalia!

[@leannestedman6219]

A lot of commenters seem to have missed the point that Molly Springfield turns copies into originals by reproducing the copies by hand in graphite pencil. She reminds me of my mother, although my mother would not consider herself an artist. My mother wrote out the entire King James Bible by hand, in a series of cheap notebooks, in pencil. She did it as a means of study and for the meditational value of the process. She wouldn't consider it 'art' but I do.

[@RoseEvans01]

john doing a serious sponsor plug tho

[@TaylorMade511]

I did this years ago in grad school. Nobody would exhibit it.

[@dupuis2000]

+Taylor ∆ No shit, art galleries dont exhibit photocopies of books pages that any random person can make? I'm found speechless at hearing this...

[@tonbonthemon]

+AristideQc Why is that the main reason why it wouldn't be exhibited, or why it shouldn't?

[@dupuis2000]

+tonbonthemon Firstly, it isnt "art" it's a fucking photocopy. Secondly, you're using someone else's work, copying it and saying it's "art". I'm sorry, but if a gallery starts exhibiting photocopies of someone else's work it means anyone can go around, take a picture of the Mona Lisa, photocopy it in a blurry shitty way and requests that it be exhibited for money.

[@tonbonthemon]

AristideQc Ever hear of Andy Warhol? Marchel Duchamp? Felix Gonzalez-Torres?

[@dupuis2000]

+tonbonthemon So a french guy who made a terrible parody of the Mona Lisa and called it art, a guy who took random dates and events and printed them in white on black paper and called them "Untitled" (Title) and Andy Warhol who I cant seem to find what he has to do with any of this? Well done, you just proved my point, you're so smart.

[@willwarren]

I am sitting in a room, different from the one you are in now...

[@jamesandchante]

I understand the concept. It's slightly interesting. But, it's not something that really intrigues me much. I'm not really a fan. It doesn't really do anything for me. But, I'm sure there are plenty of other people that appreciate it.

[@cz2301]

A photocopy is a photocopy is a photocopy is a photocopy is a photocopy is a photocopy, never said that woman writer

[@ariel_haymarket]

tfw you have the perfect idea but it could get morphed because the pages are so thin (Jewish Study Bible)

[@scabiniful]

+khesed that might make it even more interesting! you should go for it and see what comes out of it :)

[@anonymous1065]

lll

[@yadielavel532]

minecraft pez !!!!!

[@mtrps_]

as someone who cant draw shit, i find this time wasting. +1 me to join the bandwagon anonymously! :D

[@Xplorer228]

Why does John seem somewhat smug lately?

[@arthur78]

This might be the worst "art" I've seen yet. The term "creatively bankrupt" comes to mind. I'm not trying to be insulting, and I'm open to the possibility that I could be "talked into" acknowledging its purported merits, or having it grow on me and even *gasp* liking it... but based on my immediate and strong disdain of it, I doubt that. And it's not like I can't love and defend other equally esoteric artworks, because I do. I guess it shows how subjective and divisive the appeal of art can be.

[@drewliedtke2377]

In this case, the object made is less important than how or why it was made. That process becomes performative and we are to consider the importance of reproduction and loss and how that happens simultaneously.

[@theartassignment]

+Arthur78 I think it's really hard to appreciate Molly's work without experiencing it in person. She has given us a quick glimpse into part of her practice, but video isn't a great way to show the beauty of her drawings. Yes, they are graphite re-drawings of photocopies, but there is a really handmade and delicate quality to them that is impressive and best understood in person.

[@arthur78]

+The Art Assignment That's a fair point, that I've also heard in defense of other works.

[@kikeheebchinkjigaboo6631]

Communist art

[@castleblack6941]

She's just too lazy to make real art. Photocopying books pages and say: "there, this is my art". Come on... New York artists in a nutshell.