When does a prop become an artifact, when does an artifact become a prop? When is it okay for a person to take an historic object and use said object in a way that changes the object? What does it mean to deem that an artifact has been transformed into a prop, a prop into an artifact? In order to explore these questions, I examine two case studies from recent history in which high profile pop culture celebrities have used historic objects and garnered different reactions: Kim Kardashian’s wearing of Marilyn Monroe’s famous dress to the 2022 Met Gala in comparison to Lizzo’s playing of James Madison’s flute in the Library in Congress. I will use these two studies to probe how artifacts may be used as props, and with what different effects on the status of the artifacts.

Hannah Rothfield

Hannah Rothfield

I am just finishing my second-semester as a Dual Degree HAD/LIS student. After working for over a decade in film and television, mainly working in props departments, I've has always had a interest in the information that an object contains.

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