Toronto gallery hangs show of art in opposition to the Canadian DMCA
Toronto's Edward Day Gallery has a wonderful response to Canada's proposed new copyright law, Bill C-61, which mirrors (and exceeds) the American DMCA. They've hung a show called Appropos featuring art that the new bill criminalises.
Link (via Geist)The locks will prevent artistic, legitimate and legal uses of media. The Appropriation Art Coalition, a coalition of art professionals across Canada oppose Bill C-61, advocating that if the new legislation is passed, it will make it "illegal to access existing material, modify it, comment on it and/or publicly display it. Criticism, parody and satire, under Bill C-61 become criminal acts." A National Post comments reader, GeofG, suggests that since the Bill prohibits circumventing digital locks, "taking a clip from DVD for purposes of parody or political criticism is outlawed; unlocking your cell phone is banned…as is watching overseas DVD’s". Another response to the Bill from Dala concludes that "A future with digital locks is one where works go into the Disney vault and never come out again".
The Appropos group exhibition is based on the work of artists whose use of imagery integrates existing popular culture products/icons. One of the purposes of the exhibition is to emphasize the crucial relevance of appropriation to contemporary visual artists and their studio practice. As revisions to Copyright Act legislation, known as the Act to Amend the Copyright Act, are currently underway by the Canadian government, there are valid concerns that the elements of contemporary artistic practice such as appropriation and "quoting" could potentially be outlawed by draconian legislation.
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I commend all such efforts to raise PUBLIC awareness of just what is "at risk" The risk is not only one more erosion of information freedom. It is literal absolute tyranny itself that either is fed or starved by repressive laws like DMCA and it's clones.
Let's take a look at a facet of this less obvious.
Soviet era photocopiers often had a serial # etched into their glass for tracing copies to the source. Flash forward to the documented fact of our mundane household printers emulating the concept with carefully concealed Idents in the print output. Where Is this of relevance to C-61?
You've innocently printed items that WERE legal when you printed them. This includes the gallery display They are quite trace linked to your printer. Have been for a long time. see:
http://p2pnet.net/story/6620
Which explains how that print on a gallery wall that is "legal" today and contraband tomorrow can lead to the printer owner being potentially a criminal!
One interpretation of C-61 could hold you then guilty of possessing contraband items for their violating the new rules. Ex Post Facto aside what's to prevent the scenario of overnight contraband status being applied En Masse? Sadly nothing within my power beyond verbal harlequin tapping.
The qualifier I am apprehensive of is inherent to many ad-hoc issue campaign events. It's simply phrased as Preaching well and loudly IN choir halls while being mute outside of them.
I do have a closing question.
"How many freedoms have been lost by NOT preaching outside the choir hall?"
Comment on? So movie and book reviews will be illegal in Canada?
So movie and book reviews will be illegal in Canada?
As i read it, unless they are approved by the rights-holder, yes.
Next they come for our instruments, so we can only listen to their music.
"It's always something",will it ever come to an end?!
where all-concern(artist)such as me who own the rights to visual-works are truly protected from being ripped-off/piracy and the advocancies(people) of the related industries supposely policing the legislation of doctrines that are to protect against pirating-media!.To me it'd be great if there is some common-ground!where all could agree & be happy!NOT..cause it's about Leverage-(monetarily)not quality,longevity of works.
re: #4 by Reswell
We'd all be a lot happier if the assholes of the world would just fuck off. Why is it that some people just want to make life difficult for everyone else?
I can imagine a time in the future where IP "owners" will require memory wipes of anyone who experiences their product.
Just seen our movie? Please enjoy some soothing music while our Experience Preservation Partner cleans your recall of everything except the officially sanctioned clips (watermarked for your protection). Now you can recommend our film to your friends without having to worry about exposing yourself to potentially harmful litigation.
Stay vigilant and protect yourself from illegal ideas!
my sentiments exactly!reswill806.blogspot.com
And just think...Bill Clinton started all this with the DMCA here in the US.