Reuse value: spolia and appropriation in art and architecture from Constantine to Sherrie Levine

Offering a range of views on spolia and appropriation in art and architecture, from 4th century Rome to the late 20th century, this text uses case studies from different historical moments and cultures.

Contributors test the limits of spolia as a critical category and seek to define its specific character in relation to other forms of artistic appropriation.

Several authors explore the ethical issues raised by spoliation and their implications for the evaluation and interpretation of new work made with spolia.

The contemporary fascination with spolia is part of a larger cultural preoccupation with reuse, recycling, appropriation and re-presentation in the Western world.

All of these practices speak to a desire to make use of pre-existing artifacts (objects, images, expressions) for contemporary purposes.