Banksy Loses Copyright To His Work After Refusing To Disclose Identity In Court
Image via Ryan Rodrick Beiler / Shutterstock.com
Faceless street artist Banksy has lost the copyright to his iconic Flower Thrower work, a graffiti piece he plastered on the walls of the West Bank in Jerusalem.
The artist was in a court battle for two years against card company Full Colour Black over the copyright to the Flower Thrower work.
Unfortunately, the court ruled that Banksy couldn’t claim the work as an EU trademark unless he reveals his true identity.
“He cannot be identified as the unquestionable owner of such works as his identity is hidden; it further cannot be established without question that the artist holds any copyrights to [the] graffiti,” the group of judges from the European Union Intellectual Property Office concluded.
Banksy previously set up a shop in Croydon to sell his works in order to fill his trademark obligations.
However, judges pointed out Banksy’s anonymity, and how he created works on “other people’s property without their permission,” leading them to reason that Banksy does not regard intellectual property rights.
The artist has been very public about copyright matters, allowing people to use and download his works for free. He has even bluntly stated that “copyright was for losers.”
Banksy has yet to address the court’s decision on his Instagram page.
[via LADBible, cover image via Ryan Rodrick Beiler / Shutterstock.com]
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