Public Park Designated Copyrighted Space

wiggles writes "The City of Chicago recently completed a $475 million park/civic center known as Millennium Park. One of the central features is a sculpture officially called Cloud Gate and unofficially called "The Bean". The Bean is a giant, 3 story, 110-ton hunk of highly reflective steel. Photographers taking pictures of the sculpture have been charged money by the city. The park district is claiming that pictures of the park violate the designers' and artists' copyrights. Quoth Karen Ryan, the press director for the park's project, "The copyrights for the enhancements in Millennium Park are owned by the artist who created them. As such, anyone reproducing the works, especially for commercial purposes, needs the permission of that artist." In response, Chicagoland bloggers have been posting as many pictures as they can get of The Bean."

Bunch of crap

[Anonymous Coward]

Windy City, blow me.

The *Bean* ?

[murderlegendre]

Oh wait.. Chicago, the Windy City. Now I get it.

We paid for it but can't take pictures?

[g0hare]

This country gets stupider with every second. If only Canada wasn't so bloody cold.

Highly reflective, you say?

[product byproduct]

Place your own work in front of the sculpture, and sue them because their mirror is replicating your copyrighted work.

Re:It's official...

[Janitha]

Ahem..

Search for Cloud Gate bean [google.com]

Re:hmmmmm.....

[pintpusher]

As the artists who created the DNA of which your current form is an expression, you parents own the copyright to you. They, and only they, may authorise photos of you.

That means mom has to sign off before you can star in porn flicks AND she gets her cut of the profits.

Stop the world, please

[Anonymous Coward]

I'd like to get off now.

Re:What of other works of art?

[CosmeticLobotamy]

Sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet. This means I can charge my brother for toast he makes in the crappy toaster I bought him for his wedding, right?

Hope I'm the first one to say..

[murderlegendre]

I for one welcome our fucking gigantic copyrighted chromium-bean wielding overlords.

Re:hmmmmm.....

[WormholeFiend]

I copyrighted my own voice, so I could charge companies for phone calls when they start with an automated message that says "this call may be recorded for [whatever reason]..."

Problem with my parents

[gunix]

I need help.
Since I'm using my parents DNA, they've sued me for copyright infringement. What should I do? Do you think I can get a license to use it? They have even talked about a patent on sueing your children as a business method.

Seriously, some people must wake up and start thinking!

This is a conspiracy by the creators

[mark-t]

To _GET_ people to take pictures of it, thinking they are snubbing the system, then publishing those pictures resulting in free publicity for the artists creation.

Copyright misunderstanding?

[mcleodnine]

IANAL (obviously, otherwise I wouldn't we wanking on /.) but is taking a picture of "the bean" a copyright violation or is it just selling/showing images of it put you on the wrong side of the law?

I had a look at the galleries in the links and I'd wager the Number One question asked by tourists is;

Does my ass look big in this statue?

Re:I request you remove "land of the free" from yo

[Solder Fumes]

How about "land of the fee" instead?

Re:What of other works of art?

[Anonymous Coward]

Essentially, this is like Ford telling people not to take pictures of their own cars because the designers still own the copyright to the design.

Shhhh. Don't give them any ideas.

Re:What about the buildings that the bean relfects

[jpatters]

Boy, you will really be in trouble if you take a picture of the building, with the image of the bean reflected in the glass, with the image of the building reflected in the bean... and so on... you will owe an infinate amount of royalties!

you got that right

[Anonymous Coward]

I and my company do ZERO business in Chicago because of that that moronic lawbreaking asshole did to Meigs. This is another example of why people should boycott Chicago.

isn't it ironic that Boeing moved to the only city in America which shut down a pulic airfield, by force

Re:Not unique to the US

[Anonymous Coward]

When did Spock obtain a doctorate?

Wee the people

[erroneus]

No, that's not a typo.

Wee the people.

Let that sink in. I'm getting pretty sick of it.

The artist doesn't get it

[jamej]

Art is a dynamic between the artist's creation and those that perceive it. Why have "artist" begun hating us? Artist that expect to be paid if the sculpture is photographed by those that paid for the sculpture, musicians that think copying is stealing, movie and TV studios and actors that tried to prevent VCRs, DVDs, and now Tivo. None of this bodes well for America -- as the creative engine of global growth. By the way I've submitted this rant for a copyright.

Re:What of other works of art?

[tomhudson]

Essentially, this is like Ford telling people not to take pictures of their own cars because the designers still own the copyright to the design.

Since when is "rust" copyrightable?

Ha HA!

[JohnsonWax]

I'll be having the last laugh on this one!

3 years ago I patented a method for generating photographer revenue by erecting large amorphous reflective works of art in public places. I figured sooner or later someone would violate it.

Now if only my related patent for generating contractor revenue through the temporary construction of a series of orange fabric covered archways in a public park would be violated...

Re:OMFG, READ THE LAW!

[LoverOfJoy]

hmmm maybe only their parents could be able to copyright them because they are the original creators?

Re:What about the buildings that the bean relfects

[AdjustableTool]

Or worse still: what if you just stood next to the bean wearing mirror shades? Then you'd owe an even infiniter amount of royalties! So you'll need two lawyers, and then of course a third lawyer to sue the first two for malpractice.

Maybe Chicagoans should organize a mass civil disobedience action, and turn up by the thousands all wearing sequinned jackets and REALLY shiny shoes.

The Bean is violating Serious Sam's Copyright

[FrothyBitter]

Check out the technology test in Serious Sam Second Encounter. Look familiar?

Re:What of other works of art?

[bechthros]

What are these "bride" things of which you speak, and where can I download one?

Re:What of other works of art?

[miskatonic alumnus]

My parents created me as a work of art. Therefore, the police department cannot make copies of my image or fingerprints or DNA without paying the appropriate licensing fees. It's time to sue.

Re:It's official...

[Mister Transistor]

(In Goofy Deep Voice)

That's Mr. Bean.

Thank you...

NOTICE: Effective Immediately

[rk]

I am now a work of art. No one may now take my picture in public without my express written permission.

Continued usage of the Krebs cycle constitutes acceptance of these terms.

Re:What of other works of art?

[Moofie]

Then the artist is welcome to kiss both sides of my ass.

Re:What of other works of art?

[Alien Being]

You should have told them that you were Abe Frohman.

Re:Bunch of crap

[Anonymous Coward]

Dear Mr. A. Coward,

Windy City is a Trademark of the City of Chicago. Please cease and desist use of the term "windy city" effective immediately. If you continue to use the term "windy city" we will be forced to take action against you and you will be sleeping with the fishes.

Sincerely,

Alphonse Capone
Trademark Enforcement
City of Chicago

Re:Slashdot Needs a New Feature

[saldek]

My name is Howard Dean, and I approve of this post.

Vandalism

[jefu]

I know it would be considered vandalism to actually do it (and probably theft of intellectual property if the lawyers really got their two cents (mils?) worth in), but I think that this thing really needs a massive copyright notice indelibly etched into its surface.