Shepard Fairey And "Added Value"

Excuse me for a moment, but doesn't Shepard Fairey's poster prove its own added value by the fact that it became a historical and cultural symbol for our generation? I mean, I'm not talking about the work of art itself--let's put aside the art critic hat for long enough to just look on its impact. I have a button with Shepard Fairey's image on my hat (bootlegged, Mr. Fairey! I apologize! I'm one of the generation of criminals...). I would not have the AP photo on a button on my hat (bootlegged or otherwise). Would TIME have done its post-election cover in the style of that AP Photo? Probably. But they didn't. They wanted Mr. Fairey's image because it came to define that entire election. That's added value. Don't look at the photo, look at its impact. It took AP months to realize it was their photo that Fairey had used!

The whole notion is irritating.

A Generation Of Criminals II: Shepard Fairey

Well, on my latest copyright bent, the Associated Press is gunning for Shepard Fairey for using a press photo without citation for his own profit. Oh wait, what? Shepard Fairey donated the image to the Obama campaign? Which means he hasn't made any money by it?

So the real infringer is... the Obama campaign! Why isn't the AP suing the Obama campaign! Maybe that might actually get politicians to think about the limits on intellectual property.

I would like to point out that, unlike Gone With The Wind or Streetcar Named Desire, the photo Shepard Fairey used would be under copyright even if it was under a Founder's Copyright (7+7). Of course, it would be nice if the AP gave CC-BY rights on their photos, or CC-BY-SA. You know, if they were interested in getting newsworthy photos out there, rather than just being interested in profit.