Artist Shepard Fairey gets probation in Barack Obama ‘Hope’ poster copyright case:
NEW YORK— “Los Angeles street artist Shepard Fairey received a sentence of two years’ probation and a $25,000 fine in the criminal contempt case involving his ‘Hope’ poster of Barack Obama.
Fairey admitted in 2009 that he destroyed documents and submitted false images in his legal battle with the Associated Press over the use of a 2006 AP photo of Obama as inspiration for the poster. The AP accused the artist of copyright infringement; Fairey maintained that his artwork fell under fair-use laws.
He pleaded guilty in February to one count of criminal contempt for destroying the documents, manufacturing evidence and other misconduct. The sentence handed down Friday by Judge Frank Maas of the Southern District of New York included 300 hours of community service. Fairey will not have to serve jail time.
Legal documents show that federal prosecutors sought a jail term for Fairey. The artist faced a maximum sentence of six months in prison and a maximum term of supervised release of one year.
In a statement following his sentencing, Fairey said: ’My wrong-headed actions, born out of a moment of fear and embarrassment, have not only been financially and psychologically costly to myself and my family, but also helped to obscure what I was fighting for in the first place — the ability of artists everywhere to be inspired and freely create art without reprisal.’”
(Via Art & Education » News.)