david&GOLIATH: artists versus corporate crime (updated)

Reember this? Gerhard Marx had his art work pretty much stolen by an ad agency for a series of BMW ads. That lawsuit is about to come to a head; many artists want to help – and also don’t want to allow this to happen again.

Here’s how the bag factory plans to help:

You are hereby invited to attend the david&GOLIATH auction to be held at The Bag Factory in Fordsburg, Johannesburg onThursday, 25 September 2008 at 19h00. Preview and auction registration will be possible from 17h00.

The relationship between the arts and commercial industry is one in which issues of creative ownership and copyright infringement is frequently contested. It is generally financially impossible for the individual artist to address these issues legally when faced with a corporate giant.

The david&GOLIATH initiative is aimed at creating a platform through which the arts can support the arts in protecting creative ownership. Prominent South African artists have generously sponsored artworks to be auctioned off at this fundraising event, which is proudly hosted by The Bag Factory. Funds raised at this event will be used to support the case of Gerhard Marx vs. Ireland Davenport and BMW due to occur in the High Court on the 9th of October 2008

Any further profits from this auction will enable the establishment of the david&GOLIATH trust, which will aim to financially support artists against copyright infringement and commercial exploitation.

Supporting Artists: Wim Botha Jo Ractliffe Penny Siopis Aiden Dom Bronwyn Lace Clive van den Berg Conrad Kemp David Andrew Diane Victor Dorothy Kreutzfeldt Ellen Rose Gerhard Marx Jeremy Wafer Jonah Sack Joni Brenner Kim Lieberman Lehlogonolo Mashaba Liam Lynch Maja Marx Marco Cianfanelli Marcus Neustetter Minette Vari Mmakgabo Helen Sebidi Nhlapo Senzo Nirupa Sing Olaf Bisschoff Penny Siopis Philip Miller Richard Forbes Richard Penn Robyn Penn Sabelo Mlangeni Santu Mofokeng Stefanus Rademeyer Stephan Erasmus Suzanne du Preez Usha Seejarim Walter Oltmann William Kentridge Wim Botha Yvonne Harvey Zander Blom and more.

25 September 2008 from 17h00 onwards. Auction commences at 19h00
The Bag Factory
10 Mahlatini Street
Fordsburg
011 834 9181

update: look at some of the works!