Graffiti Artist Sues Production Companies for $45K for Using His Tag in Their Show and Promo Materials
The next time you want to photograph some cool graffiti, you might want to think twice… you could get sued by the artist if that picture makes it big.
After the popular Canadian drama 30 Vies aired, graffiti artist Alexandre Veilleux recognized a tag of his in the opening sequence. Now, Veilleux — who goes by Alex Scaner in the graffiti community — is seeking $45k in damages from Radio-Canada and Productions Aetios Inc., stating they used his work without permission.
“The plaintiff is the author of a tag, an artistic work painted in 2010 on a building located on René-Lévesque Blvd in Montreal,” Veilleux lays out in a statement filed earlier this month in Quebec Court.
That statement goes on to say that Radio-Canada and Aetios “forged, modified, mutilated and broadcast the work [for commercial purposes],” as his tag made its way to billboards and other promotional material for the show as well.
Beyond the smaller tag by Veilleux, the claim states that a mural collaboration he did with another local graffiti artist was captured in the filming of the show as well.
As of this moment there are no statements from either of the companies behind 30 Vies, but we’ll be sure to keep you updated if this strange case gets any stranger.
(via National Post)
