Monthly Archives: January 2009
WHAT IS ART – A CHART
Take a look at the chart entitled: "WHAT IS ART?" to find out what art is copyrightable.
Narrow Exceptions to an Old Rule: The Role of Fair Use in Copyright Law
By John Paul Benitez & Coco Soodek, Attorneys at Law Several months ago, the American Watercolor Society awarded its 2008 Gold Medal to Sheryl Luxenburg for the work Impermanence (pictured above), a hyper-realistic painting of an old man juxtaposed with a rotting piece of fence. Luxenburg’s prize-winning work consisted of emulations of two stock [...]
Art Authentication by Computer?
By William F. Zieske I saved the Sept. 6, 2008 issue of The Economist for an article that appears in the Technology Quarterly with the tag line “Image-processing software could help to identify artists by their characteristic brushstrokes – and spot forgeries.”
Under the Microscope
By John Paul Benitez, Attorney at Law The San Fransico Gate has some reservations anointing as "art" scientific imagery created for the lab, not the studio. Displayed in "Brought to Light: Photography and the Invisible, 1840-1900" at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, photographs created using x-rays and advances in photo chemistry are serving [...]
The Publishing Contract: Clarity is King
By William F. Zieske & Coco Soodek, Attorneys at Law Whether a publisher asks you to create an image specifically for the publication (as for illustrating a book or article), or to publish an image of one of your pre-existing works, there are questions that can be awkward to address, but foolish to ignore. When [...]
Two Heads Better? The Legal Side of Collaboration
By John Paul Benitez, Attorney at Law Collaborating with another artist may generate a masterpiece, and it may also produce a mess. When more than one artist is an "author" of a work, the normal expectations about ownership and copyright get skewed. If two or more people create works, intending to put them together in [...]
Commission Without a Contract: What Now?
By William F. Zieske, Coco Soodek & Matt Petersen, Attorneys at Law You would not be the first person to take a commission without a written contract. Asking for a contract signals distrust, and negotiating often involves delays and lawyers. You may have grown accustomed to closing sales with a handshake or an invoice. But [...]
FESTIVAL FREEDOM: Legal Steps to Creating Your Own Art Festival
By William F. Zieske and Coco Soodek, Attorneys at Law Art shows are great opportunities for showing and selling direct to the public, but often come with high booth fees or esoteric entry rules. Thinking of creating your own art festival, either alone or with other artists? Here are the essential steps to navigating the [...]
A long time ago, in an Impressionist sculpture far, far away…
By John Paul Benitez, Attorney at Law She can’t vote, can’t drive and can’t drink. But she can work a slow shutter like a pro. The Seattle Post-Intelligencer reports on an exploding star in Chrissie White – 15 year-old photographer who has developed world-wide acclaim for her Flickr photostream. Right now she commands $40 for [...]
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