It looks like Shepard Fairey is still in a world of trouble over this infamous "Hope" image of Barack Obama used in the 2008 presidential campaign. This case has been taken to court by the Associated Press which claims that Fairey copied their image without the publishing giants consent. To make matters even more complicated, Mannie Garcia, the freelance journalist that took this photograph in 2006 claims that this photo was not taken while he was on assignment for the Associated Press, therefore she is the rightful owner of the photograph. This is all quite complicated, but it seems to me that artists should have the freedom to use photographs as sources of inspiration. I by no means believe that artists should plagiarize, but I do feel it is important to draw inspiration from everyday life. This case is in the hands of the court, but dare I ask, should this case even be in court?
You can read more about the controversy on Bloomberg.com
Also, here is a brief interview where Fairey explains the controversy in his own words
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