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  • When art clashes with IP law: Banksy’s ‘Flower Thrower’
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9 October 2020CopyrightTom Oliver, Callum Beamish and Vita Hink

When art clashes with IP law: Banksy’s ‘Flower Thrower’

The works of UK street artist Banksy are critically acclaimed and highly valued. Banksy’s artwork would qualify for copyright protection, but Banksy’s anonymity is his hallmark. To enforce copyright, and therefore stop people copying his art, it would be necessary for Banksy to reveal his identity in order to prove his authorship (and therefore ownership) in any copyright.

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Banksy laughs again in EUIPO TM victory
15 November 2022   Graffiti artist wins against greeting card firm | Board of Appeal overturns Cancellation Division’s finding of bad faith | Trademark registration ‘not abusive’ | Brandsmiths | Eleanora Rosati | ZEK Legal | Philipp von Kapff.
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10 October 2019   The lawyer representing the greetings card company at the heart of a trademark dispute with Banksy has told WIPR that his client would consider going after more of the street artist’s trademarks.
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Banksy facing potential cancellation of ‘flower bomber’ mark
2 October 2019   Street artist Banksy was “forced” to set up a homeware shop in south London to establish use of his IP, after his ‘flower bomber’ mark was threatened by a cancellation proceeding at the European Union Intellectual Property Office.


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