On the Freedom of Art in the Age of ‘Intellectual Property’ In the Western tradition we think of art works as highly individual expressions of a distinctive, unique mind (the concept of “originality”). However, there has been a long tradition of (sub-)conscious “un-originality“ in modern and contemporary art consisting of methods of appropriation, adaptation and repetition of pre-existing visual material. Starting with examples from Dadaism, Pop Art, and Appropriation Art, the talk focusses on contemporary examples of sampling, remixing, and mashing up. Art has always built on pre-existing material in order to reflect upon and to criticize contemporary culture. However, certain artistic strategies are being used today on a much broader basis (“remix culture”). At the same time it is easier to track down the use of existing materials, and to prosecute artists for copyright infringements. However, only with recourse to existing material, artists are in a position to create new work.