FAIREY STORY OF HOPE ENDS IN PROBATION

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Last week the long saga of copyright infringement and evidence tampering regarding Shepard Fairey's iconic "HOPE" poster ended in federal court with Fairey receiving two years of probation and a $25,000 fine. If government prosecutors had gotten their way Fairey would of received a six month prison sentence and risked being exposed to some nasty "fair use" in the federal hoosgow.

The "HOPE" saga is a very interesting and informative case in the emerging canon of modern copyright law but it's important to note that this thing really hit the fan for Fairey because of evidence tampering, the Feds seriously hate that shit.

Reappropriation, copyright theft, forgery and evidence tampering, whatever - we here at NYD feel that Fairey's real crime was making possible the ongoing plague of crappy HOPE parodies! Mr. Fairey - J'accuse! 

For more info on this amazing case take a look at The Huffington Post, their article also references some other fair use issues in the arts,  "Shepard Fairey Sentenced To Probation For Destroying Evidence Involved With AP Civil Case"

 The New York Times also gives a good recap of the case in "Shepard Fairey Is Fined and Sentenced to Probation in ‘Hope’ Poster Case"

The Fairey conviction was also coverd here at NYD, plus check out the cool/cruel custom "Obey" graphic.

And if you must make your own Hope parody poster image feel free to visit the automated Hope-a-tron at Paste magazine. Shame on you!