Copism

What is Copism?

Copism initially refers to copying. Founded in 2013 by Nico Franz, Copism is a new movement in modern art. Its followers call themselves Copists. The Copists see themselves as modernizers of art, focusing solely on reinterpreting already existing works. Through the copist process, the copy reveals a new truth of the original work.

The Copist Manifesto

The Copist says, everything is a copy:
Copist was the one who copied.
Copist is the one who copies.
Copist will be the one who copies.

The copist process consists of imitation, emotion, analysis, and reproduction.
The work of a Copist may only be altered, but not copied.
Every copy is unique.

Copism is a global movement in art.
Copism is committed solely to art.
Novus Ordo Copia

Copist Catalog of Works

Copism has given rise to a variety of styles since its inception. What they all share is the steadfast goal of dissolving the iconic rigidity of the referenced originals. The Copist uses the original works—rigid in their impression, arbitrary in their essence—as a starting point for the creative process. By breaking this rigidity and revealing the arbitrariness, the Copist deconstructs the whole into its elements and reassembles them anew. In doing so, the Copist employs randomly parameterized proportions, shapes, and colors from the original. This results in a new work that multiplies the original layers of meaning through its diversity.

Chronological Overview

Moving Art, since 2014

The Copist moves art.

Copistic Historicism, since 2020

Copist Historicism visualizes historically significant connections on image panels. Unlike the general usage of the term, Historicism here refers to a narration of human history in general (from the Ancient Greek 'historia,' meaning "investigation or inquiry (of the past)," also "knowledge through investigation (of the past)"; in English, "story" (for fictional or real narratives) or "history" (for real narratives)).

Art of Randomness, since 2015

In the search for the smallest common element of painted art, the Copists have identified the pixel as the basis of all works. In this copist style, the pixel itself is often copied, though not without being parameterized in the process.

Leonardo Cycle, 2020-2023

Reconstruction of the presumed visual concepts behind the seven unquestionably authentic paintings by Leonardo, as well as the hypothesized visual concept for the two sides of the portrait of Ginevra de' Benci, which is currently still attributed to Leonardo da Vinci.

New Realism, since 2020

New Realism seeks to build a significant bridge between the worlds of classical painting, the natural original, and—this is new—the medium of its representation. New Realism questions existing and learned interpretive layers and brings them back to their representational object. The goal is to create islands of meaning from which the viewer can momentarily escape their reality upon the moment of realization.

Kopismus – Euklidische Transzendenz von Nico Franz

Euclidean Transcendence, 2024

CSS and SVG Filter on HTML

Kopismus – Platons Höhlengleichnis von Nico Franz, Hommage an Irene Schramm-Biermann

Plato's Allegory of the Cave, 2024

CSS and SVG Filter on HTML and Pixel on Canvas

Kopismus – Adam & Eve von Nico Franz

Adam & Eve, 2024

CSS and SVG Filter on HTML

Kopismus – Illumination 7000: Eine kurze Geschichte der Sieben (7000 Jahre)

A Brief History of the Seven, 2024

CSS and SVG Filter on HTML and Pixel on Canvas

Code of Arms, 2024

Pixel on Canvas and CSS on HTML

Selbstportrait mit Star und Canvas

Selbstporträt mit Star und Canvas (42), 2023

Photography and CSS on HTML

Kopismus – Seven von Nico Franz

Seven (Genesis), 2023

CSS and SVG Filter on HTML

Kopismus – Ohne Titel (Gauß-Kurve) von Nico Franz

No Title (Gaussian Curve), 2023

CSS on HTML and Pixel on Canvas

Noahs Arc, 2022

CSS and SVG Filter on HTML

Kopismus – Illumination 89 / Tausendundeine Nacht von Nico Franz

One Thousand and One Nights, 2022

CSS on HTML

Kopismus – Money Never Sleeps, Pal von Nico Franz

Money Never Sleeps, Pal, 2021

Pixel on Canvas and CSS on HTML

Kopismus – Das ist keine Neonlampe von Nico Franz

This is not a neon lamp, 2020

CSS on HTML

 Selbstporträt mit Canvas – Nico Franz

Self-Portrait with Canvas, 2015

Pixel on Canvas

Lost+Found

Kopismus – Nineteen von Nico Franz

Nineteen (500 years), 2023

Pixel on Canvas and CSS on HTML

Kopismus – Verschränkung eines begrenzten Zufalls von Nico Franz

Entanglement of a limited Randomness, 2023

CSS on HTML

Kopismus – Triptychon 19: Die mystische Hochzeit von Château Chambord und St. Peter von Nico Franz

The Mystical Marriage of Château Chambord and St. Peter, 2023

CSS on HTML

Kopismus – Aftermath 1498 - Atonic von Nico Franz

Atonic, 2023

CSS on HTML

Kopismus – Glaube Liebe von Nico Franz

Trust Love, 2022

CSS on HTML and Pixel on Canvas

Kopismus – Euklidische Metamorphose von Nico Franz

Euclidean metamorphosis, 2022

CSS on HTML

Kopismus – Man on the Moon von Nico Franz

Man on the Moon, 2022

CSS and SVG Filter on HTML

Kopismus – L'Univers de 1494 von Nico Franz

L'Univers de 1494, 2022

CSS on HTML

Kopismus – Deutschland 89 / Land der Baumeister von Nico Franz

Land of the great builders, 2022

CSS on HTML

Kopismus – Triptychon 89 Machtkuppeln von Nico Franz

Domes of power, 2022

CSS on HTML

Of the duality of art, 2020

CSS on HTML

Kopismus – Genesis von Nico Franz

Genesis, 2022

CSS on HTML

Teich mit Seerosen – Nico Franz

Pond with water lilies, 2020

Pixel on Canvas

Nico Franz – Cottbus I

Cottbus I, 2020

Pixel on Canvas

Kopismus – Moving Piet II - Fall of the Piet von Nico Franz

Moving Piet II - Fall of the Piet, 2017

CSS on HTML

Farbiteration in zufaelliger Folge – neu arrangiert von Nico Franz

Color iteration in random sequence, 2014

Pixel on Canvas

Kopismus – Moving Piet von Nico Franz

Moving Piet, 2014

Animation on Aftereffects

If art is free from any subjective selection and based solely on chance, only then is my work truly complete.

Nico Franz Copist

Nobody is perfect - this also applies to nicofranz.art!

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