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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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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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