Posted by Peter H on September 21, 2004 at 11:04:15 from 81.135.122.205 user Peter_H.
In Reply to: Re: Copyright & Dick's Bird Book posted by Heather on September 20, 2004 at 23:17:01:
copyright is NOT just a matter of courtesy, it is legally enforceable
I absolutely agree, but courtesy first can often avoid the need for unpleasant and time-consuming lawsuits*, threatening letters etc.
Most galleries do not own the copyright in works which they house
Again agreed, but most galleries will regard themselves as the agent of the copyright owner, and will not allow you to photograph the work. It is unlikely that the artists concerned would allow their works to be hung in a gallery where anyone was allowed to come in and photograph them. Even if you produced written evidence that the copyright owner had allowed you to reproduce the work, the gallery would probably fall back on their conditions of public admission, ie no photography.
Incidentally, in the UK most galleries allow reproduction by manual methods, ie sketching, and you often trip over groups of children all dutifully copying a masterpiece.
*Was it Heather who said she was a barrister? I am not trying to deprive her of fees!