The Copyright Implications of Using Newspapers in Art
An artist often creates art from other objects. For example, Andy Warhol gained fame painting everyday items, some sculptors deal entirely in found items. Some artists wonder if they are violating copyright law when they use works copyrighted by others, such as newspapers, in their art.
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Law
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Copyright law falls under the broad category of intellectual property law. This area protects any creations produced by someone's intellect or creative efforts. The original idea behind most intellectual property law was to encourage creativity by allowing creators to profit from their work.
Exceptions
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Copyrighted works such as newspapers cannot be used, referenced or quoted without documentation and credit given to the author. Copyrighted works cannot be used for personal or corporate gain, unless there is an agreement with the creator. There are exceptions to these rules, including an exemption for artistic expression.
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Transformative Work
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To balance the first amendment right for free expression against the right of the copyright holder, U.S. copyright law allows for an exemption for an artist to use a copyrighted work. If a work, such as a newspaper, is transformed or changed for its use in a piece of art, it is an allowed use.
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References
- Photo Credit newspapers image by Christopher Hall from Fotolia.com
