The Art of the Mashup

Bryan just shot me this link over IM earlier today and it’s friggin’ great. It’s a typographic translation of the “What does Marsellus Wallace look like?!” scene from Pulp Fiction created by Jarratt Moody.I think it’s example of the form of art for the 21st century – the mashup. It’s not merely a copy of a scene from a movie – it’s an interpretation Mr. Moody has done of that clip to make it his own, something completely new.
Another great mashup from the last few years was the mashup ‘trailer’ for Shining – using footage from Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining coupled with Peter Gabriel’s song Solsbury Hill to produce something that feels totally different than the actual movie:

When I see mashups on the Internet or listen to mashup albums (like DJ Danger Mouse’s Grey Album), I think of the long tradition of copying and mixing that art has in its history. Although you can find examples that go much further back, a good modern starting point would be Marcel Duchamp’s Fountain:
Fountain - Marcel Duchamp

Why is this art? Because Duchamp said it is.

I also think of of Andy Warhol and his Campbell’s Soup Cans:

Soup Cans - Andy Warhol

Amazing what’s possible with silk screening.

and Picasso’s Les Demoiselles d’Avignon:
Les Demoiselles d'Avignon - Picasso

Pablo mashed up his art with African masks. Just like Paul Simon did on his album Graceland.