Richard Prince recently lost a copyright case lodged against him for using 41 (not 1, 2 or even 5) unauthorized photographs by Patrick Cariou in his “paintings”. Let us avoid passing judgment on the merits of collaging in a guitar, hands and adding a few splodges of paint to someone else’s existing works; what grates is the princely hubris of the artist (and dealer for defending AND appealing) entailed in not acknowledging the source material by simply paying rightful dues (i.e. a licensing fee). Look at The Rolling Stones vs. The Verve. This is not a copyright case, its a case of unbridled greed and arrogance.
Kenny Schachter