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Shepard Fairey Wanted on Vandalism Charge for Street Art in Detroit—Will This be the VARA Test Case?

Posted by Nicholas O'Donnell on June 25, 2015 at 8:10 AM

Detroit police have issued a warrant for well-known artist Shepard Fairey in connection with his recent visit to the city, on suspicion of vandalism. While Fairey was apparently in Detroit to paint a commissioned mural at One Campus Martius, he told the Detroit Free Press, “I still do stuff on the street without permission. I'll be doing stuff on the street when I'm in Detroit.” According to the Free Press:

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Topics: Richard Prince, Jeff Koons, Patrick Cariou, Moral Rights, Andre the Giant, Graffiti Art, Visual Artists Rights Act of 1990, Barack Obama, One Campus Martius, Banksy Does New York, VARA, Banksy, Shepard Fairey, appropriation copyright, Copyright, 5Pointz, Hope, Detroit Free Press, Associated Press, Fair Use

Graffiti, Vandalism, and Public Expression: Public Art and its Uneasy Relationship with the Law

Posted by Nicholas O'Donnell on October 2, 2014 at 1:24 PM

Recurring events involving public art have underscored the tension between that expression and the law. Banksy’s “residence” in New York last fall broached this subject, but this summer’s Brooklyn Bridge flag incident, and several new lawsuits asserting copyright in graffiti will test the bounds of what the law protects and what it permits. As Banksy says in one of his murals, "graffiti is a crime."

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Topics: Burrow-Giles Lithographic Co. v. Sarony, Ahol Sniffs Glue, David Anasagasti, Steel, City as Canvas, Moral Rights, Argentina, Public Art, Graffiti Art, Philippa Loengard, Visual Artists Rights Act of 1990, Leonardo’s Last Supper, Columbia Law School’s Kernochan Center for Law Med, Chicago, Museum of the City of New York, VARA, Public Expression, Michael Bloomberg, American Eagle, Terry Gilliam, Banksy, 17 U.S.C. § 106A, Copyright, Buenos Aires, 5Pointz, Revok, Roberto Cavalli, vandalism, Reyes, Graffiti, The Atlantic, New York

Registration Open for 2015 National Cultural Heritage Law Moot Court Competition at DePaul Center for Art, Museum & Cultural Heritage Law

Posted by Nicholas O'Donnell on September 10, 2014 at 6:43 AM

For students following the various issues we cover here, there is an exciting opportunity next winter. Registration is now open for DePaul University College of Law’s 2015 National Cultural Heritage Law Moot Court Competition in Chicago on February 27-28, 2015. The competition is open to twenty-six two- and three-member student teams from ABA-accredited or provisionally accredited law schools. Schools may register up to two teams.

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Topics: National Cultural Heritage Law Moot Court Competit, Moral Rights, Visual Artists Rights Act of 1990, VARA, Morag Kersel, 17 U.S.C. § 106A, Copyright, Lubna El-Gendi, First Amendment, Depaul Center for Art Museum & Cultural Herita, Patty Gerstenblith, Fifth Amendment

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About the Blog


The Art Law Report provides timely updates and commentary on legal issues in the museum and visual arts communities. It is authored by Nicholas M. O'Donnell, partner in our Art & Museum Law Practice.

The material on this site is for general information only and is not legal advice. No liability is accepted for any loss or damage which may result from reliance on it. Always consult a qualified lawyer about a specific legal problem.

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