Fair Use or Not

February 5, 2009
Los Angeles, CA

I had promised myself that I was going to quiet blogging about my obsession with Shepard Fairey, at least for a little while. But as I sorted through the blog-sphere this evening for news and etc, I discovered that the buzz today has been that AP (associated press) is going after Fairey for copy right infringement for the source image he used for his iconic poster of Obama.

Now, there is plenty of out there about this already so I will keep this short and brief. First of all, we had a chat about copyright and intellectual property in a previous post and in many ways I would say that I am advocate of copyright protection. But, common AP, are you serious! If there is ever a time in which one person's art / IP is used, modified to create something new (and may I say BETTER) this would certainly be it. Not only that, but this piece of "new" art is partially responsible for changing the world.

Really!? Really?!?! One more time in case you have not fully understood my amazement or how I feel about this, REALLY!!!???

Also, why now? Is it because Fairey is all over the media and with exhibits opening all around? Why didn't AP bring about this during the election? I also wonder, what would President Obama say? There is a buzz in the art world about the possibility of a culture czar or increased funding for the National Endowment for the Arts, how the administration is going to raise the level of art and culture in this country, and etc and etc. Do you think this will be a litmus test for dear newly elected President?

Lots to think about.

Obamaissance

By Mr. Brainwash

Jan 22, 2009
Los Angeles, CA

Finally, we have entered a new era...(phew...I was afraid that this day would never come. As I was watching the inauguration, I had the freighting thought of "what if this was inauguration for McCann / Palin instead? thank god its not!) Now with our new President comfortably seated in the White House, I started to think about the iconic image of Obama by Shepard Fairy that was an essential part of the campaign. I don't recall any other election where art, especially street art, was such an integral part to the mythology of the man. The art branded Obama's face into our minds, and made us believe that he is hope, and with that, there can be hope. I hope this will be a renaissance for art, culture, faith, responsibility and basic human decency. I don't ever want to hear another argument about how art is not essential, that is not as powerful as policy. Art helped changed the world. The proof is in the White House.

The Revolution Starts Here

Nov 23, 2008
Los Angeles, Ca

I am off to Japan in a few days - two weeks there for more images for "Wok the Dog" and then home to Taiwan to spend the last couple weeks of the year with my family. Which means that I will be back to chronicling adventures on the road here real soon.

But first things first. I did a photo shoot on Thursday for an update of my commerical portfolio (yes, I work as a commerical photographer as well) and one of the shots I executed was inspired by John Lennon and Yoko Ono's honeymoon protest where they were in their bed at their honeymoon suite for all the media to see. They effectively turned something that is supposed to private into something public, an event that is a celebration of their love and union into an event with greater global implications. Not to mention that is not a bad piece of performance art.

All of this got me to think about "where does the revolution start?"

In the minds and hearts? Then does that not really begin in the subconscious? In sleep - while you are dreaming?

This began simply as an exercise to update my commerical work and now I feel like maybe there is some truth in it. The revolution starts here - in our minds - in a fundamental place - bed - in this case.

I have always felt a bit like a rebel when it comes to my commercial photography. I can shoot pretty girls in clothes, standing there, all day long. But I reject it somehow. I want the images to have a message, to have a narrative, to have meaning. To be more than just a body, a pretty face and the product of the day. I strive for something more, a sense of humor, a bit of intrigue, irony and sarcasm, a message that does not distract from the ultimate goal of advertising and yet provides you with just a little bit more.

If President Elect Obama is really ushering is a Brave New World, then I hope that we will start seeing advertising to go beyond the traditional and communicate a better message.

Brave New World

Nov 4, 2008
Los Angeles, CA

First time in over 2 years do I regret not having a live TV. All I can do is hit the refresh button on CNN with more frequency than necessary.

This has been long in coming. I feel that we are at the precipice of a revolution, of a Brave New World. 8 years of bad leadership and bad policies, domestic and foreign, 8 years of fear. Enough!

I have never been this excited before for an election, been this excited to exercise my right to vote. I voted today believing that I am choosing a better future.

The World is waking up, I can feel it in my bones, in my heart, all around me. Not just how the fate of the World is dependent on the outcome of this election, or how active voter turn out as been. But in other ways as well. We have finally awaken to problems that are around us, from global warming to buying locally, in all ways, we are finally AWAKE!

I am excited to be a able to contribute to the dialogue.

Despite my excitement for the Presidential outcome tonight, the phrase "Brave New World" is stuck in my head. So I wikied a refresher on the novel since its been over 14 years since I have read Huxley's novel. At the end of the wiki article, I found this which I thought was interesting:

Social critic Neil Postman contrasts the worlds of 1984 and Brave New World in the foreword of his 1985 book Amusing Ourselves to Death. He writes:

What Orwell feared were those who would ban books. What Huxley feared was that there would be no reason to ban a book, for there would be no one who wanted to read one. Orwell feared those who would deprive us of information. Huxley feared those who would give us so much that we would be reduced to passivity and egoism. Orwell feared that the truth would be concealed from us. Huxley feared the truth would be drowned in a sea of irrelevance. Orwell feared we would become a captive culture. Huxley feared we would become a trivial culture, preoccupied with some equivalent of the feelies, the orgy porgy, and the centrifugal bumblepuppy. As Huxley remarked in Brave New World Revisited, the civil libertarians and rationalists who are ever on the alert to oppose tyranny "failed to take into account man's almost infinite appetite for distractions." In 1984, Orwell added, people are controlled by inflicting pain. In Brave New World, they are controlled by inflicting pleasure. In short, Orwell feared that what we fear will ruin us. Huxley feared that what we desire will ruin us.

Neither version of the future is what I hope for us all, yet, over 70 years since the publication of both novels, the prediction of the future is too eerily close for comfort.

I dream a better future for us all!