File:Festival of plagiarism austin texas 2006.jpg

The Festival of Plagiarism is the title given to a number of events starting off in January and February 1988 witrg events in London, San Francisco and elsewhere.

Neoist Origins edit

The Eighth International Neoist Apartment Festival (London 21 May to 26 may 1984) has been claimed as a 'fictional' starting point.[1]. Stewart Home states that it was his experiences at the Ninth International Neoist Apartment Festival' which inspiried the Festival of Plagiarism. He also cites Gustav Metzger's Destruction in Art Symposium as a source of inspiration.[2].

John Walker wrote:

"Attacking originality is thus a means of undetermining the commodity nature of contemporary gallery art."[3]

Ed Baxter one of the organisers responded to Walker's review,criticising Walker's categorisation of Bob Geldorf and Billy Bragg as radical, claiming their would-be radicalism was "undercut by their acceptance of the exchange value of commodities, an acceptance which undoubtedly nourishes the status quo"[4]

In Brunswick a few months later the Festival des Plagiats took place 8 - 10 June at the Jochschule fur Bildende Kunste Braunschweig.

The First Annual Festival of Plagiarism was held in Austin, Texas from Friday 3 November to Sunday 5 November 2006.

A Press Release was issued.

References edit

  1. ^ http://www.spunk.org/texts/writers/shome/sp000458.txt The Festival of Plagiarism] by Stewart Home 1989
  2. ^ ibid
  3. ^ 'Living in Borrowed Time' by John Walker in the Times Higher Education Supplement, 22 February 1988, p12
  4. ^ Variant No. 5, Summer/Autumn 1988, Glasgow, p30