DISQUS

Juanita Deharo · 2 years ago

Whatever the 'noble' motives of this enterprise it cannot justify the direct exploitation of artists through the use of their artwork without permission. One would have thought that someone who supported ANTAR would have more sensitivity to the issues than to use Aboriginal art without permission, and infinitely worse, make sexy clothing out of it, and sell it with mod permisisions so it can end up as anything - a dancefloor or whatever (perhaps a teatowel?)
I know the issue of copyright is a vexed one in SL and that the owners of this enterprise think the ends justify the means, but I cannot support the way they are going about this.

Tasha Carter · 2 years ago

Juanita articulates the 'strict' view of copyright in its full RL sense and I respect her position. I believe she speaks as an artist. However I would like to respond briefly to some of her points - first of all I don't consider myself to be 'noble' at all but merely an Australian who is trying to do something positive, however small, about the issue of reconciliation in this country via part of my SL. It is highly likely that the copyright for the images in question no longer resides with the artists but with the buyers of their work - wealthy investors/collectors and maybe large State subsidised galleries. The artists sold their work and with that exchange probably their ownership over the image. Under these presumed circumstances and in the context of SL I do believe that my means are justified by the ends of giving profits to ANTAR. I do think it is better to try to actually do something about racism in this country than to endlessly criticize others from a safe position on the sidelines like the worst kind of academic commentator. I accept that giving mod rights was an error and not an intentional one - I have changed that now and thank Juanita for drawing attention to it. I'm the first to admit that I could be wrong in this - I'm a million miles away from artistic circles and the jungle of copyright lawyers who make a living by protecting private property while other Australians live in third world conditions. I'm only doing what i think is right and I'll keep doing that until either it fails, I'm convinced to change or I get closed down.