When high and pop culture (re)mix: An inquiry into the memetic transformations of artwork

Abstract

This article explores the complex meanings embodied in memes featuring artwork as a juxtaposition between fine arts and participatory culture. A qualitative textual analysis of 119 meme instances identified three dimensions of artwork that can be echoed in digital memes: the content, the form, and the artist. Consistent with the metaphor of communication as transmission, the mimesis of content uses artwork as a device for political expression. The mimesis of form and of the artist, on the other hand, provoke a response that emphasizes the aesthetics over the narrative, albeit for contrasting goals: while the former conveys a communal partaking of iconic gestures, which highlights what Carey depicted as the ritual view of communication, the latter distinguishes the imitators as individuals, thus comparing them to the original creator. This article demonstrates the memetic manipulation of fine art as a dual agent of individual and communal expression.