Philip Johnson and His Mischief Appropriation in Art and Architecture

In the world of modern art, the idea of appropriation, orthe conscious manipulation of the recognised world of another artist, has long beenaccepted as a legitimate strategy in criticism of the tradition of artauthorship, challenging the context of viewing contemporary work and themanipulation of omnipresent media images. The world of art itself is fair gameto be pillaged or mined in the production of new art, but there is almost norecognised equivalent aesthetic in architecture.Philip Johnson consistently dealt with the concept ofappropriation and used it as a design strategy from the very beginning of hisillustrious career. A singular taste-maker, Philip Johnson influenced art,architecture and design during the second half of the 20th century. Philip Johnson and His Mischief:Appropriation in Art and Architecture looks at the concept of appropriationand how Johnson’s style was influenced first by his mentor, Mies van der Rohe,and then by post-modern ideas and artists. This title serves to reviewJohnson’s body of work and show that, far from being a weakness, his use ofappropriation was a major part of his innovative success.