I know I know. You get sick of the damned copyright stuff. SO DO I! But I learned last year, after I chose to go ahead and use someone's photo that I liked on flickr and got slapped for it, that in order to be professional as an artist, ya gotta act like one. Unfortunately, that includes the copyright crap. Especially if you're into collage.
And so today, I bring to you info about a new book and a fresh perspective. Lawrence Lessig, champion of copyright info, and a forerunner in the idea department as far as alternatives to our current lousy ineffective copyright laws is concerned, has written a new book.
REMIX: Making Art and Commerce Thrive in the Hybrid Economy
Lessig has some really modern ideas about creativity and the reigns that our laws hold on us all. I love his take on it...the criminal aspect.
"What does it mean to society when a whole generation is raised as criminals?"
HUH? I read this post on the NewsGrist blog this morning and scrunched up my nose. What do you mean criminals?? I read on to find that Lessig's logic on this is really sensible.
"The creative practices of today's youth include a range of activities -- file sharing, most notoriously, but also the production of mashups -- that are illegal under the current copyright regime, but criminalization is having little success as a deterrent."
Well Golly! (*said with that classic Gomer Pyle drawl) Ain't that the truth! Hell, it isn't even just the youth. I do it too, and at this point I am not young I do hate to admit.
The book goes on to posit that when copyright laws were formed, the technology was in the hands of the rich (i.e. moviemaking...music production...) and the laws were set up to protect them. At home, no one had the means to create movies or albums, let alone remixes. However, there has been a massive shifting of technological possibilities for the common man, and therefore, the laws need readjustment. The idea of a hybrid economy is discussed, one that would bring benefits to both business and the rest of us.
Sure sounds logical to me. I haven't read this book, however it seems very appropriate to at least take a look at some alternatives to our current system.
4 comments:
I'm catching up on your blog and finding all sorts of good stuff! This book, I must read it. I always have the nagging copyright issue/fear in the back of my head whenever I make collages, and I've been thinking that it is high time I truly educate myself on the issue. Thanks for the recommendation!
YAY! Glad to see you around Nature Morph...
I had made a comment about the site Copyright for Collage Artists, but see you have it listed as a link already (great site!). Laws are a bit different in Europe but about the same as the States. Of course if we use 100 year old images, not a problem (70 years here). Sorta limits the options and self expression though.
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