The Easel

23rd May 2023

Supreme Court sides against Andy Warhol Foundation in copyright infringement case

Chloe Veltman | NPR | 18th May 2023

When is it fair to copy the work of another artist? In a much-anticipated decision, the US Supreme Court has ruled that the Warhol Foundation infringed copyright in their use of a Prince photograph. Some think the decision may limit the “fair use” exemptions to licensing requirements, thus restricting artists’ freedom. A dissenting Justice objected “it will stifle creativity of every sort. Creative progress unfolds through use and re-use. The Court has turned its back on how creativity works”.

The Curious Case of the Transcendental Painting Group

Max Pearl | The Nation | 22nd May 2023

Transcendental Painting Group briefly appeared in early 20th century US. Have they been wrongly ignored? Possibly. It seems they offended influential art critics with their “kooky” ideas. However, their work has a quality of “internal coherence” that is shared by all good art. They show that “art can be deep without being aloof … this is a “gold mine of very good—and very novel—paintings.”

16th May 2023

Mark Bradford has revived abstract art. His New York show is a knockout.

Sebastian Smee | The Washington Post

Bradford’s new show in New York prompts a kind of stock take. He is now famous, due to his abstract paintings. But are they paintings?  Using cheap materials, he “beats [them] into some form of beauty … by layering, sanding, gouging, scraping and tearing”. These are not so much paintings as vertical agglomerations and yet they “dramatically expand abstraction’s possibilities”. They allow him the freedom to “remain uncategorized … perhaps our era’s Jackson Pollock”.

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