When I saw the Super Mario Clouds piece at the Whitney, I thought the single TV screen with clouds looked cool. It was less attention grabbing and “quieter” than the other works at the exhibit. The clouds looked familiar, but it was only when I read the description did I realize that it was from Super Mario. The idea of taking something that already exists, simplifying it and turning into art is not a new one. It was interesting to see this idea implemented with the game medium, and I wonder how easily it must have been for experienced players of Super Mario to recognize the games only by seeing the clouds.

In the video Everything but the Clouds, Patrick LeMieux, followed Cory ArcAngel’s process to recreate the Super Mario Clouds and could not erase the coins. This ends up creating a new concept/art piece based on an art piece that someone else created, that was based on another piece of art (yes, I do consider games a form of art). This never ending cycle can continue on and on until an art piece form no longer resemble the original, and this also represents how art in general, is made. Artists take inspiration from each other’s work, which itself was inspired by someone/something else.