(no subject)

[merrily]

I don't know about you guys, but the Sheppard Fairey/ Mannie Garcia hoopla is starting to sound awfully analogous to, y'know, us.

[In case you don't know what I'm talking about, Sheppard Fairey is the artist who created the iconic red beige & blue poster of Barack Obama used extensively during the campaign. The original is now in a museum. Fairey used a photograph by AP photographer Mannie Garcia as a reference image. Now AP is suing him, claiming he was "stealing" Garcia's work, and that Fairey didn't create a work of original, significant value. And by-the-by -- although not actually I think all that important to this case, since it's pretty obvious that there is something special about that poster -- Fairey has -- I think? -- never been paid for his image.]

The case is in court right now. Fairey posted about it on BoingBoing today. (Article includes an image of Fairey's painting.)

I wish he had something like an OTW to help him out, but he seems to have a BoingBoing, which is pretty good, too. And he's got thousands of people like me pissed off on his behalf, which should also be worth something.

Comments

[sabinetzin]

I'm sorry- I'm still too busy giggling over the fact that there's someone called "Shepard Fairey" running around to take any of this seriously.

This whole suit seems ridiculously frivolous.

[merrilily.livejournal.com]

For a minute I was all "...why would that be funny?" and then went "OH." Sheppard! Fairy! *snort*

[sabinetzin]

I just- that was the first thing my eye locked onto in the post, and with the slash being right there after it, I was pretty much doomed.

(On the weekends he hangs out with his "roommate", Rodney Quaire.)

[oddsbobs.livejournal.com]

This really bothers me, as I thought it was common knowledge that artists routinely use references.

[merrilily.livejournal.com]

Totally. It's a lame, lame lawsuit, and I hope it gets thrown out.