Google yesterday posted on its search page a logo composed of images from Joan Miro’s artwork. I happened to see this when I was Googling something and I must admit it was a very pleasant surprise — how nice it was for Google to illustrate its search page with good art. (My real reaction was to conclude that someone at Google has really good taste.)
Moreover, the image was linked to a page containing many of Miro’s pieces. Today, however, news comes that Miro’s family objected to the unauthorized reproduction of his work.
The family contacted the Artists Rights Society, which in turn contacted Google to take down Miro’s art. Google took it down but said the company was only trying to pay a tribute to the artist, whose birthday was yesterday. Moreover, the logo was a compilation done in the style of Miro and Google felt protected by the copyright laws as a consequence.
I sympathize with the family — copyrights are critical to an artist’s economic well-being and Google’s application of Miro’s work was, well, rank commercialism. Still, it was such a nice thing too. How refreshing it was to be surprised by great art amid a work day filled with thoughts of business and technology. I’m tempted to agree with a commenter who said:
I think Miro’s family have missed a golden opportunity here. Millions of Google users [including me], who have never heard of Joan Miró i Ferrá, would have known the artist through Google and some of them could have probably turned into fans.
Update: So many bloggers have come out against the Miro family for being so fussy about the Google logo. One of my favorite posts is from an artist named Ryan B who gave Google unlimited rights to reproduce his work in whatever format the search engine desires. Ryan notes his birthday is September 15 and hopes Google will honor him on that date with a logo composed of his artwork. Another favorite post is from Brian Oberkirch who goes art historian on us and talks about how surrealism and the school of thought that fed Miro embraced “mash-ups,” so to speak, in the form of montages.
Cynthia Brumfield at 7:53 AM|Comments(1)
The whole point of copyright is to encourage new work. Miro is dead and the fees can't encourage more work and his family is *discouraging* works in his style by threat of copyright - the exact opposite of the purpose of copyright.
Sony Bono is dead but his selfishness lives on.
Posted by: ytwd at April 21, 2006 2:00 PM
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