I like a copying machine. I worked at the administration office of the University in Korea as a research assistant for two years. There were two great copying machines. I put documents into these two honest workers with a big smile, push the button couple of times, and just enjoyed watching them work. Few minutes later, I got the same documents as many as I want. Although in some ways copying machines cause waste of paper, they allow me to keep the same information that the original text has. I can share this information with others. My idea for 'virtual.jpg' came from the reproductibility of a copying machine.
For Virtual.jpg, I used so called frame structure. This technic is not new at all. We can see this kind of methods on various artistic works. The interesting thing in here is the process of duplication. Frame itself can not be created without the whole image. And the whole image can not be completed without the frame. Although it sounds dizzy, the solution is simple if the image can reproduce itself.
*** Original Image Resource
Example: I have never seen the real 'Mona Lisa' in Louver Museum. However, I think I know this famous painting because I saw the picture of 'Mona Lisa' in many art books. Therefore, when I see the picture of Andy Warhol's 'Mona Lisa' in books, I say, "Andy Warhol used the image of 'Mona Lisa'!" and I can write in my paper, "Andy Warhol showed his anti-elitism through his 'Mona Lisa'. Moreover I can use the image of Andy Warhol's 'Mona Lisa' to parody Warhol's works or to express the anti-elitism.
At this point, 'Mona Lisa' does not mean the great work of Leonardo da Vinci any more. It becomes the image that contains diverse symbolic meanings. This image can be enjoyed by everyone with his or her own interpretation. Thus the thing that we have to focus in the age of mechanical reproduction is not the reality, but the idea and action.
Click! for Mona Lisa!
