Thursday, April 24, 2008

It's Ten O'Clock. Do You Know Where Your Art Is?

It could be here. And you don't even know it. Imagine your dismay as you browse the bookstore shelves, flip through the pages of an art book, and find work you created in print. Maybe there are even some interviews your wrote, right there, printed word for word. Now imagine all this happening without your knowledge or permission, let alone your profit. It happened in this book.

I know the feeling. Last fall, while searching the web, I stumbled across one of my images being used without my permission as part of a performance art display. It's an awful feeling knowing how hard you worked on something and ending up with no credit or payment for your work. In my case the images were removed from the website, but the public performance couldn't be taken back. The damage was done. Someone else's name was now associated with my work. Period. But what might be even worse, is the mixed reaction from the public. Many artists were outraged and supportive. But some people seem to think “imitation is the highest form of flattery” when in this case it is downright stealing.

Read who it's happened to on the following blogs:
Darren Di Lieto
Luc Latulippe
Jonathan Edwards


Here you can see a gallery of all the images 'used' in the book. See any you know? Please spread the word. And don't buy this book!


Update: Add to the list:
Jeff Miracola
(He does a great job of explaining what all has happened on his blog.)

Thanks Jennifer and Drawn! for the heads up on this.

4 comments:

Stephanie Reed said...

Hi, Gail, it's Stef from the Blue Board. Wow! Infuriating for sure. I tried to follow the link from your original flattered or furious post, the part where it says 'this page', but the link no longer works. Do you think the person with the hot hands got cold feet? :-0

gail said...

Luckily I was able to resolve the issue with the images being on the web pretty quickly. He offered take them down.

Elaine Magliaro said...

Gail,

Congratulations! You have won a children's poetry book from Wild Rose Reader in this Sunday's drawing. Email me your address so I can send you your prize.

gail said...

WooHoo! Thanks Elaine.