DigitalArts has a feature story on Gordon Duggan's 51st State comic.
Post Tagged with: "appropriation art"
Canadian Copyright Reform: The Comic Book Edition
Gordon Duggan of Appropriation Art has created a remarkable comic book [PDF – 2.8 MB] chronicling the recent battle over Canadian copyright reform. The book includes over 100 links to websites, articles, and other resources as every quote or reference is hyperlinked. It concludes with references to groups actively involved […]
Appropriation Art on Copyright Reform
Appropriation Art, a coalition that represents hundreds of artists, curators, and arts organizations, has posted public letters to Ministers Prentice and Verner. The coalition focuses on three principles: fair access to copyrighted material, the need for certainty of access, and anti-circumvention laws should not outlaw creative access.
Copyright and Art in Canada
Jonathan Culp has penned an illuminating piece on the in-fighting between CARFAC and Appropriation Art over Canadian copyright reform.
The Copycat Copyright Campaign
Yesterday Macleans.ca posted an article on copyright reform that calls attention to the growing public interest in copyright, last year's Bulte fight, and the prospect that Canadian Heritage Minister Oda could face similar opposition if the Conservatives introduce DMCA-like legislation in Canada. The story arose in light of a BoingBoing posting that picked up on a Canadian Press story on "imminent" copyright reform.
While it is great that the article notes the public concern with copyright, I think it actually misses the mark in a couple of respects. First, it argues that consumers "who have grown accustomed to the lax standards currently in place would see further regulation as an infringement on their rights." I don't think that is quite right. Canada does not have lax standards when it comes to copyright. Our laws are compliant with our international obligations and indeed are far more restrictive in certain respects (ie. fair use) than laws found in the United States. The outcry from the public won't happen because they're used to lax laws, but rather because if we're going to get reform, Canadians want the reform to reflect their needs rather than those promoted by the U.S. Trade Representative.
Second, by focusing on the role of bloggers, I think there is a danger of missing the bigger picture.