Imagine there’s no trademark…
In these days of copyright infringment, intellectual property and ‘fair use’, it seems that ‘fair’ isn’t fair, copyright isn’t always right, and intellectual property debates rarely stay intellectual. There remains, in the face of corporate momentum and legal precedence, a school of thought that ‘information wants to be free’, and it is at the intersection of that mindset and the art world that Illegal Art exists.
Created by the revolutionary ‘zine Stay Free! and currently on a tour to shake up both the realm of art and intellectual property, Illegal Art is a multimedia spectacle showcasing art of all forms that, despite the concept of ‘free speech’ has been (or would likely be) ruled illegal. Hence the name.
Movies, paintings and music pieces abound. Of course much is lost in the translation to web site, but it still retains most of its punch and all of its informative content. On the site can be found details (including mp3s of the songs in question) of several prominent sampling and infringement court cases, as well as an enture album of legally grey or black songs–ironically, many without their creators’ permission. Also to be found on the site are several short unauthorized films which are completely watchable and downloadable. Stories of persecuted
artists, at the hands of Simpsons creator Matt Groening, Mattel, Starbucks, U2 and the Rolling Stones (and many, many more) can be read and downloaded as well as the artworks in question.
Basically it’s a big middle finger stuck right in the face of the copyright and trademark idea. Well worth checking out, and once finished, the site’s links provided offer further adventures into the world of ’sampled’ arts.
