What do you think of alterations being done to an artists work after that artist's death?

Question

It seems that books are continuously revised to appeal to the current world. Old English becomes new English. Is this really right? The same is done with music. Old music is changed to appeal to a new audience/ to make money. I guess we do it to all things including paintings etc. Someone will paint the Mona Lisa with a moustache or grin on her face. Sometimes the new version smothers the original. Like processed food which has so many additives art has becomed 'processed' too. Any thoughts on this.

Answer 1

It is a bad thing to do and it should never ever be done, except when the art work is alive.

But, I could never understand Hamlet until I saw the Mel Gibson movie. You can't read Shakespeare and understand it, you have to see it in action.

Our languages are living languages because they change over time and evolve. The Dutch word for a computer disk is "disk." At one time they didn't need a word for it and rather than pretend to make up a word like the French did they adopted the word used the most often and by the most people.

The Bible is not a living document, it is a dead text that hasn't been updated and revised since the days of King James. There is a lot of it that doesn't fit modern society anymore and so it makes the bible harder to understand. One of the major jobs of any religious leader is to interpolate the text to the loyal flock. They have to update it to give it meaning in the world of their people.

I would never draw a mustache on the Mona Lisa, nor would I try to change or update it in any way. As it is it is a complete work of art. The most famous portrait of George Washington was never finished. The artist said, “I am done, this is the best it can be and to do more would be to only cheapen the work.” I don’t know why he didn’t want to finish George Washington’s shoulders, his explanation never made it to modern history, but we know that he completed the work and he made the statement he wanted it to make.

The written word, movies and plays are the exception to the rule that completed works of art should never be changed. They have to be updated to keep the audience’s attention and interest. Shakespeare is still performed today in many different versions. His work has been updated, mauled, set in the future, transplanted, mutilated and changed in so many ways. But all of it is still based on the original work and since the plays are living works other artists like actors, directors, painters, and even dance instructors can add their own art to it. It may improve or it may weaken the work, but it makes it a living piece and it attracts a crowd and makes Shakespeare’s words continue to live.

I am told that Chaucer in the original Old English version is a very sexy and racy tale. It was never meant to be a work of quality art like Shakespeare, but it is almost all the work that survives from the time period and so it is important because it tells us about an important time in history. If you try to read Chaucer in the original text you won’t be able to make sense out of it unless you have a degree in English history and have studied the language. The same can be said of an old Japanese Kabuki show. Because of that you don’t see Playboy publishing quotes from Chaucer and Kabuki Theater is very rare in America and not a single Kabuki play has won an Academy Award, although their quality may be better than some of the movies that have.

When he did the remake of the Shaggy DA the actor was shown the original movie by Disney, and he said it stank. Back when it was made it was a great film, but compared to the films of today the story couldn’t stand up. So when it was redone it was done with a modern twist; it was updated and improved, to make it a film that would appeal to a modern audience.

Living art work like text and action has to be kept updated to keep it relevant and to give it meaning in our world. The US Constitution is called a Living Document because it can be amended, changed, updated and re-interpret to fulfill modern needs. The founding fathers never say the need for an agency that can set the standards to control air travel in the US, but thanks to the Constitution’s ability to be re-interpreted it allows for such agencies to be created.

Answer 2

Music is an ever evolving medium that will always change depending on the artist performing it..

As far as paintings go, as long as the original is not tampered with I don't see a problem with someone reporducing it in a satirical way. Parody is a great form of expression in its own right....

Answer 3

I don't think it's right at all
Ruins the concept of the original
ORIGINAL is always best

Answer 4

Yeah but it might change if it the family.