What if Copyists(*) Created?

I'm not even sure "copyist" is a valid word - it means the people (usually in non-Western/non-European countries) who make their living doing as-realistic-as-possible knock-offs of famous branded Western/European goods and art. Sometimes these people are called "imitators" but that doesn't capture the essence of what these people do, which is attempt to produce something that is indistinguishable to the untrained eye from an authentic (see the debate between Kaminska and Salmon) creative item.

Over at Hyperallergic earlier this month Hrag Vartanian reported on an interesting project with copyists . The effort, created by Zhenhan Hao, involved asking Chinese copyists of art, fashion, and other materials, to create something that expressed their own abilities, but using the styles and techniques they employ in their imitative work. Vartanian interviewed Hao about the project. Hao talks about the concept of "imitative creativity" and how he sees it relating to the culture and particularly the educational system in China.

It's a fascinating perspective and insight into something that mainstream media tends to ignore or dismiss out of hand.