Bow Down, 2013

Appropriating Beyoncé's "Bow Down" for Screenprint Reproductions

Michaelis School of Art, Cape Town

Acrylic screenprint medium, glitter, giftwrapping paper

Dimensions variable

Why did I appropriate Beyoncé's song "Bow Down" as the subject for a series of print reproductions?

This series of screenprint reproductions, was created as part of Alessandre's student exhibition titled "Church Rave," which explored the dynamic relationships between art, religion, and entertainment in contemporary society. The exhibition theme allowed the artist to work across different mediums, connecting them through shared concepts of appropriation, materiality and cultural commentary.

Screenprinting is a medium thats history speaks of the intersection of pop culture and art. Beyoncé’s self-titled album, was a pivotal moment that for many became a significant cultural marker. As someone who had grown up listening to Beyoncé, the artist saw this album as a powerful declaration —where Beyoncé asserted her autonomy as an artist and embraced her identity as a feminist. The album challenged traditional notions of femininity, blending themes of empowerment, sexuality, and personal agency, all while navigating the complexities of a commidifed public persona.

The artist appropriated the visual style of Beyoncé's album cover to create silkscreens, a medium historically linked to mass production and popular culture. By predominantly printing on found or purchased gift wrapping paper, the artist further engaged with the idea of commodification and the commercialization of feminist ideals in media.

Within the context of the "Church Rave" exhibition, the artist sought to examine the tensions between feminist values and the religious teachings that shaped their upbringing. Beyoncé’s ability to embrace and articulate these contradictions through her music and public image, particularly with the phrase "bow down," made it a compelling subject. This phrase, both defiant and contentious, resonates as a challenge to patriarchal structures, a central theme in third-wave feminism that seeks to reconcile the personal with the political.

The series thus not only pays homage to Beyoncé’s impact on contemporary culture but also critiques the ways in which media, society, and feminism intersect, often in complex and contradictory ways. By recontextualizing these themes through screenprinting, the artist engages in a dialogue about the appropriation of feminist symbols and the ongoing struggle for gender equality in a media-saturated world.