Sherrie Levine, perhaps more than anyone else, represents the generetion of female artists, who at the beginning of the 80's took a stance against the expanding male dominance of Neo-Expressionist painting. Levine directs her work, which is at once subtle and extreme, against the romantic notion of "male creativity," and thus forces us to reconsider our preconceptions of such things as the value, significance and essence of art.

In conflict with copyright laws and artistic codes of honour, she takes photographs of the "original" works of other - male - artists and presents them as her own. Thus she dethrones the artist as author, and invites alternative readings of the work. But Levine's work is not solely concerned with criticism and deconstruction, it is also a celebration of the artists that she copies: Weston, Blossfeldt, Malevich, Schiele, Man Ray, Klein...and of course Duchamp.

Superficially her photographs, paintings and sculptures may be copies of the work of other famous artists. But, remarkably, this seemingly empty gesture, was already ten years ago charged with the explosive force from its own radicality. Through this process the works are given new meanings, emotions and expression: Partly a fragile, vulnerability, partly an elegant, shimmering melancholy...

Paradoxically, perhaps it can be said that Sherrie Levine by simulating and copying, brings out the "specialness" of art right before our very eyes.

Sherrie Levine was born in 1947 in Hazleton, Pennsylvania. She lives and works in New York.