A possible assumption for exploring the idea of 'real' is that it is no longer an object of representation. Documenting the real world is manipulative in a sense where the artist implicitly intends to assert something about the truthful scene, which the audience are expected to form a sense of that aspect or an artist’s intention about that subject. Therefore it questions the framing of reality. Today reality itself is hyperrealistic as the real and the imaginary are indistinguishable for being considered as same collectivity under the name of art. It is impossible to discover an absolute level of aesthetics of the real as everything including the ordinary and everyday reality are conceived as an aesthetic due to the limitless and intangible
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Richard Prince's Untitled (cowboy), (1980-89; fig. 3), which he rephotographed the 'Marlboro Man' advertisements, he conveys the symbolism in American heroic figure through breaking traditional agendas of representation. In the constructed version of reality, the hyperreal representation of replicating the same imagery in appropriation art questions the value of representation and credibility of the documentary that challenges the truthfulness in photography. Prince developed in expressing his reminiscence of classical American hero reflecting the myths of legendary and made political connotations. The Untitled (cowboy), symbolise the mythic male dominant figure of macho, courageous and freely character of American culture. He found this icon in the famous advertising campaign for Marlboro cigarettes, which has featured images of cowboys at home on the range or riding through terrain in mid 1950s. Trying to appeal to male consumers in general, the company concentrated on the marketing by idealising cowboys as a solitary and masculine hero, the key icon of egoistic male. It can be seen that Prince have made an effort to question the hyperreal perception of individual male by comparing with cowboys which are originated from American imagination, blurring the line between fantasy and the real world that is overflowing with commodity culture. Therefore by rephotographing these mass produced images, they are no longer treated as commercial objects but also given a new sense of life. Prince further explains his practice of rephotography in his quote, "Rephotograph is essentially an appropriation of what's already real about an existing image and an attempt to add on or additionalise this reality onto
Richard Prince's Untitled (cowboy), (1980-89; fig. 3), which he rephotographed the 'Marlboro Man' advertisements, he conveys the symbolism in American heroic figure through breaking traditional agendas of representation. In the constructed version of reality, the hyperreal representation of replicating the same imagery in appropriation art questions the value of representation and credibility of the documentary that challenges the truthfulness in photography. Prince developed in expressing his reminiscence of classical American hero reflecting the myths of legendary and made political connotations. The Untitled (cowboy), symbolise the mythic male dominant figure of macho, courageous and freely character of American culture. He found this icon in the famous advertising campaign for Marlboro cigarettes, which has featured images of cowboys at home on the range or riding through terrain in mid 1950s. Trying to appeal to male consumers in general, the company concentrated on the marketing by idealising cowboys as a solitary and masculine hero, the key icon of egoistic male. It can be seen that Prince have made an effort to question the hyperreal perception of individual male by comparing with cowboys which are originated from American imagination, blurring the line between fantasy and the real world that is overflowing with commodity culture. Therefore by rephotographing these mass produced images, they are no longer treated as commercial objects but also given a new sense of life. Prince further explains his practice of rephotography in his quote, "Rephotograph is essentially an appropriation of what's already real about an existing image and an attempt to add on or additionalise this reality onto