Famous Copyright Case to Learn From The Appropriation of Art

Photographer Art Rogers took a picture of a couple with a line of puppies and sold it for use in cards and similar items. Renowned artist Jeff Koons, working on an exhibit about mundane everyday things, found Rogers’ photo and used it to create statues for his project.

Koons sold these statues, making a substantial profit. When Rogers found out, he sued Koons for copyright infringement. The court identified the resemblances between the two images, dismissing Koons’ defense on the grounds that he could have chosen a more generic source to convey the same message without replicating Rogers’ work. Consequently, Koons had to settle the case by paying a monetary amount to Rogers.

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