Legal Information

Fair Use Cont.: New Book Out on Che as a Brand

Submitted by russell on
April 21, 2009
Books of The Times

Brand Che: Revolutionary as Marketer’s Dream

Skip to next paragraph

CHE’S AFTERLIFE

The Legacy of an Image

By Michael Casey

Illustrated. 388 pages. Vintage Books. $15.95.

Read more

Angles on Fair Use

Submitted by russell on

I'm catching this conversation late; the initial discussion about fair use began in December 2007. Where the hell was I? Well, Fairey had yet to make any ripples with the Obama HOPE piece, so I had no reason to throw this into the Legal Dept. Now that Fairey and AP are battling out the legalities of "fair use" (I use quotations because codifying things can always be a bit sticky), Phantom Street Artist has also thrown his hat in the ring on this, bringing another angle to the onging narrative of re-use, street art, advertising, capitalism, etc.

I admit that I miss things here and there. I'm not online enough!

I'm trying to keep my opinions to myself. Blame it on my journalistic integrity. I can say a few things: I'm glad that people are bringing up these issues, though Fairey has been re-using images and icons for years. I've never compared and contrasted the original radical/political art side-by-side with Fairey's work until now, and am a bit disappointed at…

Read more

Shepard Speaks: AP Takes Art for Fair Use Too

Submitted by russell on

If the AP Has the Right to Do What It's Done, Then So Do I

Shepard Fairey

Posted April 16, 2009 |08:37 PM (EST)

My lawyers filed my response to The AP's claims against me on Tuesday. It includes a dozen examples of AP photographs that consist almost entirely of copyrighted artwork from me and other artists. Today, The AP issued a statement accusing me of "making attacks" on them…

Read more

SF Chron: Graffiti judged low priority in S.F.

Submitted by russell on

Graffiti judged low priority in S.F.

Saturday, March 28, 2009

Five years ago, Gideon Kramer was thrilled to be appointed to San Francisco's graffiti advisory board.

"I really thought I could make a difference," the graphic designer and 30-year city resident said Friday.

Three years into it, he resigned in disgust. He said he'd rather spend his time volunteering to help landscape local schools, as he does now. It wasn't just that graffiti was popping up faster than it could be painted over - it was that people had given up.

"People would say, 'Why do you bother? It's just going to be back tomorrow,' " he said.

San Francisco doesn't have a graffiti problem. It has a commitment problem. It isn't enough to get a few residents riled up about neighborhood taggers, or to get the police and district attorney's office…

Read more

SF Chron: Has it come to jail time to wipe out graffiti?

Submitted by russell on

Has it come to jail time to wipe out graffiti?

Thursday, March 19, 2009

Like the city of San Francisco, North Beach resident Micki Jones is fighting a losing battle against graffiti.

"I paint it over and it is usually tagged again in 48 hours," said Jones, who covers up graffiti on her home and other buildings on her block. "It used to be weeks, but now those guys are out there every night."

When it comes to symbolic statements about a city, nothing speaks louder than the painted scrawls on walls. They say a neighborhood is either unwilling, or unable, to stop vandalism. Graffiti infuriates homeowners, degrades streets and undercuts civil pride.

And yet it happens over and over in San Francisco and has for years. How is that possible? The answers range from the economic downturn (less enforcement), to a lack of…

Read more

AP countersues artist over famous Obama posters

Submitted by russell on
NEW YORK (AP) - The Associated Press has countersued an artist over his famous campaign posters of President Barack Obama. The AP says the image's uncredited, uncompensated use of an AP photo signals a threat to journalism.

The nonprofit news cooperative filed suit against Shepard Fairey on Wednesday in federal court in Manhattan. Fairey's spokesman and lawyers had no immediate response.

Fairey sued the AP last month over his "Obama Hope" and "Obama Progress" posters, based on a 2006 picture taken for the news cooperative. He says he didn't…

Read more

Shepard Fairey Expects New Charges in Boston - AP

Submitted by russell on

Obama Poster Artist Shepard Fairey Expects New Charges In Boston

RUSSELL CONTRERAS | March 10, 2009 06:03 PM EST | AP

BOSTON — The street artist who created the famous "Hope" poster of President Barack Obama expects to face new vandalism charges relating to the red, white and blue image, but his lawyer said Tuesday that the accusations would cover a period of time when the artist wasn't even in Boston.

The artist, Shepard Fairey, and prosecutors went before a clerk magistrate in Brighton District Court on Tuesday. The hearing was closed to the public, but Fairey's attorney, Jeffrey Wiesner,…

Read more

Art turns ugly in squabble over 'Hope'

Submitted by russell on

Art turns ugly in squabble over 'Hope'

Friday, February 13, 2009

Read more

First Poster Boy, Now Shepard Fairey: Watch Out at Art Openings

Submitted by russell on

Shepard Fairey Arrested In Boston

JAY LINDSAY | February 7, 2009 08:30 PM EST | AP

 

BOSTON — A street artist famous for his red, white and blue "Hope" posters of President Obama has been arrested on warrants accusing him of tagging property with graffiti, police said Saturday.

Shepard Fairey was arrested Friday night on his way to the Institute of Contemporary Art for a kickoff event for his first solo exhibition, called "Supply and Demand."

Two warrants were issued for Fairey on Jan. 24 after police determined he'd tagged property in two locations with graffiti based on the Andre the Giant street…

Read more

Poster Boy Arrested in NYC

Submitted by russell on

New York street artist Poster Boy arrested by police

Mysterious figure's work was featured throughout the city's subway system

For a street artist whose work is scrupulously shrouded in anonymity to evade… Read more