Banksy Fights with Greeting Card Company for Control of His Trademark
23 comments
·February 13, 2025cynicalsecurity
I wouldn't be surprised if Banksy is a group of people. Like it was with those Spanish writers.
> Female Spanish thriller writer Carmen Mola revealed to be three men
> To everyone's surprise, Mola was not a university professor nor a woman. The authors, it turned out, were three established Spanish men, the screenwriters Jorge Díaz, Agustín Martínez and Antonio Mercero.
glouwbug
It’s probably the guy from Art Attack
burgerrito
Funny you said that... There's a rumour that one (some?) of the members of the trip-hop band Massive Attack is the Banksy
tim333
Banksy would seem to be Robin Gunningham rather than Robert Del Naja the Massive Attack guy.
Various photos and stuff in the Mail https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13237003/Banksy-ex-...
and non Mail https://itsartlaw.org/2023/12/03/the-real-banksy-anonymity-a...
also Gunningham was named in the previous Banksy court case.
He obviously though has a few people working with him.
ineedasername
It’s going to turn out to be Hallmark.
conception
Certainly he works with a group of people. That much is certain. It seems unlikely that originally he was a group.
bthrn
Why does it matter either way?
thro1
Banksy didn't sign his works. 3anKSY (only near fakes) supposed to mean I guess.. (attention) this be an art and it's worthy - it is not Banksy trademark - but the opposite - a silly joke attempting to use 'banksy' as a new adjective - or a tribute to him in best case. (Fakes were convenient, helping to hide his identity - but it's his final word what was his work, what not.)
Banksy original works do have style. Fakes are random attempts to look similar, to get attention - lacking sense of humor, context and meannig (as that one on article photo).
No mark nor label can make any banksy banksing thing be the Banksy's (first order) work (having something to say).
thro1
edit: .. work (having context, style and some point - when fakes had none of it).
For me that's fine anything banksy has a label reminding about it - and Banksy original works just don't need neither used any (and that's a mark).
Good luck with trademarks !
thro1
- in that, his specific case, any attempt to make a trademark from his name - for (someones) (street) (to be) 'art' mean: it's fake
( .. "to sell their fake Banksy merchandise legally" .. "attempting to take custody of [his] name" .. beeing not his case ?! )
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swayvil
Who would you say is the asshole here?
Is Banksy being a hypocrite?
Is Andrew Gallagher being rude to a great artist?
sophacles
Gallagher is the asshole. Do you think he'd allow me to start making and selling a Full Colour Black greeting cards despite:
They(Gallagher's company/lawyers) added that the artist owning the trademark is “problematic for the industry [because it] allows Pest Control to flex their muscles in a way that is potentially unfair for competition.”
being his position?
I don't think Banksy is being a hypocrite - one can be critical of the rules while still following them.
Gallagher is being very rude - in fact trying to pass of your own work as someone else's without their permission to fraudulently sell it for more money has a name: Forgery. It's so rude it's illegal.
surfingdino
Lawyers. They're milking both sides.
defrost
Gallagher badgering an artist: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c5ypn8jz9q7o
.. and, quite possibly, coordinated manufactured outrage to drive sales and lift name recognition .
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6stringmerc
[dead]
jppope
definitely didn't have that on my bingo card today
jrflowers
It will be great to see Del Naja defend his trademark
echelon
Whether that's Banksy's identity or not, I'm calling it now: this is another Banksy publicity stunt / public performance. Not really sure what to call it, except perhaps art.
Andrew Gallagher is the next Mr. Brainwash. The whole thing is a sham and it will be revealed in spectacular form at the end of the trial, as briefcases full of confetti explode in front of the judge.
When Full Colour Black folds, it will enshrine the rights of artists within case law.
locusofself
isn't it just one of his pals that maybe travels around with them?
> They added that the artist owning the trademark is “problematic for the industry [because it] allows Pest Control to flex their muscles in a way that is potentially unfair for competition.”
The competition between people named Banksy and the people not named Banksy that are selling images of his work, and that he isn’t trying to interfere with?
I’m guessing the company trying to get even more of a free ride sees its sales rise every time they file a new suit or appeal a ruling though.