Comments on: Graphic Design or Plagiarism?

By: Shawn

Shawn — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 01:14:27 +0000

Ara..it’s not an error at all, that’s been Fairey’s MO since the beginning. My problem is that he uses other people’s likenesses without permission and then makes money off of them. Fairey’s piece is unique, but still he is just appropriating the work of others and then making millions off of it. I would like to see him do something that is all his own and make money off of it. Anybody can pull a photo into Illustrator, trace it and add colors. Create something entirely on your own. Even Thomas Kinkade—the biggest art joke around—creates completely original work.

By: Natalie

Natalie — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 04:00:31 +0000

I love that the OBEY GIANT image is on a wall in Greece.

By: Ara Ashburne

Ara Ashburne — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 00:13:00 +0000

I come down somewhere in the middle.

A. The original photo belongs to some other “dude” and he should have gotten permission to use it – no doubt. This was his error and an error for which I believe he needs to be held accountable. If they wouldn’t give it to him which I doubt they would, then he needed to find some other image that inspired him enough to do his piece.

Now B. Although, the resemblance to the first image is there, he created an entirely different piece. The second work is a unique work that people respond to an entirely different way than the original photograph. Therefore work number two is significantly different enough from image one to be considered to an “appropriation” which is key in determining the legitimacy of a new work.

That’s all I got on that one.