PODCASTS

CMU ARTS MANAGEMENT AND TECHNOLOGY LABORATORY

IN PART ONE OF THIS TWO-PART INTERVIEW WITH RENÉE VARA, ANGELA JOHNSON AND B CRITTENDEN DISCUSS WITH HER THE CHANGING ARTS LANDSCAPE AND THE LANDMARK VISUAL ARTS RIGHTS ACT (VARA) LITIGATION, 5POINTZ V. G&M REALTY, AND RENÉE’S INVOLVEMENT WITH THAT CASE. RENÉE IS THE FOUNDER OF VARA ART. SHE IS A CULTURAL ENTREPRENEUR, ADVISOR, CURATOR, AND EDUCATOR, AND HER AREA OF RESEARCH FOCUSES ON THE INTERSECTION OF CONTEMPORARY ART, ART ECONOMICS, AND CREATIVE RIGHTS. RENÉE RECENTLY GAVE A GUEST LECTURE FOR THE COLLEGE OF FINE ARTS AND HEINZ COLLEGE AT CARNEGIE MELLON UNIVERSITY ABOUT THIS CASE.

IN PART TWO OF THE TWO-PART INTERVIEW WITH RENÉE VARA, ANGELA JOHNSON AND B CRITTENDEN DISCUSS WITH HER SHARING ART DIGITALLY AND SOME OF THE OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES THAT CAN ARISE. THEY ALSO TALK ABOUT SOME CHANGES AND POSSIBILITIES FOR THE FUTURE OF THE ARTS. RENÉE IS THE FOUNDER OF VARA ART. SHE IS A CULTURAL ENTREPRENEUR, ADVISOR, CURATOR, AND EDUCATOR. HER AREA OF RESEARCH FOCUSES ON THE INTERSECTION OF CONTEMPORARY ART, ART ECONOMICS, AND CREATIVE RIGHTS.

THE ART LAW PODCAST: THE 5POINTZ STORY

ON THIS MONTH’S PODCAST, WE DISCUSS THE NON-ECONOMIC “MORAL RIGHTS” OF ARTISTS IN THE CONTEXT OF THE FAMOUS 5POINTZ AEROSOL ART MECCA IN LONG ISLAND CITY, QUEENS THAT WAS WHITEWASHED AND TORN DOWN IN 2013. IN THE ENSUING LITIGATION, THE AEROSOL ARTISTS ASSERTED VIOLATIONS OF THEIR MORAL RIGHTS UNDER THE VISUAL ARTIST RIGHTS ACT, THE U.S. MORAL RIGHTS STATUTE. IN A SURPRISE TO MANY, THEY RECENTLY WON $6.7 MILLION IN DAMAGES AFTER SUCCEEDING ON THESE CLAIMS. THE ART, HOWEVER, WAS PERMANENTLY LOST. STEVE AND KATIE DISCUSS THE ORIGIN AND CONTOURS OF MORAL RIGHTS, HOW THEY FIT INTO U.S. COPYRIGHT LAW, THE STORY OF 5POINTZ AND THE LAWS AROUND STREET ART AND GRAFFITI. THEY ARE JOINED BY FAMOUS AEROSOL ARTIST JONATHAN COHEN (MERES ONE), 5POINTZ EVENT PLANNER AND ARTIST REPRESENTATIVE MARIE CECILE FLAGEUL, AND RENEE VARA, THE ARTISTS’ EXPERT IN THE 5POINTZ TRIAL.

Moral Rights in Street Art: The 5Pointz Story - Revisited

AFFIRMING THE 2018 DECISION AWARDING $6.75 MILLION TO THE ARTISTS OF 5POINTZ, WHOSE WORKS WERE WHITEWASHED AND TORN DOWN BY THE BUILDING’S OWNER IN 2013. TO PUT THIS IMPORTANT DECISION INTO A BROADER CONTEXT, WE HAVE RE-RELEASED OUR APRIL 2018 EPISODE ON 5POINTZ, WHERE WE DISCUSS THE DISTRICT COURT CASE IN WHICH THE AEROSOL ARTISTS ASSERTED VIOLATIONS OF THEIR MORAL RIGHTS UNDER THE VISUAL ARTIST RIGHTS ACT, THE U.S. MORAL RIGHTS STATUTE. IN THAT EPISODE, STEVE AND KATIE DISCUSS THE ORIGIN AND CONTOURS OF MORAL RIGHTS, HOW THEY FIT INTO U.S. COPYRIGHT LAW, THE STORY OF 5POINTZ AND THE LAWS AROUND STREET ART AND GRAFFITI. THEY ARE JOINED BY FAMOUS AEROSOL ARTIST JONATHAN COHEN (MERES ONE), 5POINTZ EVENT PLANNER AND ARTIST REPRESENTATIVE MARIE CECILE FLAGEUL, AND RENEE VARA, THE ARTISTS’ EXPERT IN THE 5POINTZ TRIAL.

SOTHEBY’S INSTITUTE OF ART: “Is the Writing on the Wall 5Pointz & Street Artists’ Rights”

DO GRAFFITI ARTISTS HAVE RIGHTS OVER THEIR WORKS? INDUSTRY EXPERTS FROM DOYLE, VARA ART, 5POINTZ, MOSA BOWERY, AND MORE WILL DISCUSS THE GROUND-BREAKING CASE AND ITS IMPACT ON THE ART WORLD.