Rights & Resistance Street Art: Graffiti and the Law

Join us for an insightful Speaker Series covering Human Rights, Creative Expression, and Legal Protection in Public Spaces with Dr Susan Hansen and Dr Enrico Bonadio.

Speakers

• Dr Susan Hansen, Associate Professor in Psychology, Middlesex University
• Dr Enrico Bonadio, Reader at City St George's University of London
• Chair: Dr Katya Al Khateeb, Senior Research Officer, Essex Human Rights Centre.
  
  

Street Art as Resistance: The Power of Illicit Forms of Creative Expression in Public Space
By Dr Susan Hansen
Building on a series of contemporary case studies, this talk will discuss the role of street art and graffiti as creative forms of resistance in public space. Much of what counts as public discourse on social media is constrained by algorithms that reinforce rather than challenge our opinions, which ultimately contributes to the polarisation of opinion and the diffusion of civic apathy, making democratic dialogue impracticable. By contrast, uncommissioned art in public space may offer a rare polyphonic challenge to the certainty of our insular world views. As unexpected and uninvited art in public space, it may well clash with our existing opinions, and is often designed to make us stop and think differently. Indeed, street art as a form of resistance and democratic participation may in the end stimulate more liberal orientations towards democracy, which may in turn encourage more inclusive/liberal understandings of the world – and a resultant sense of self as an active participant in public dialogue.

Can Artists Enforce Copyright while Remaining Anonymous? Some Reflections from a Street Art and Graffiti Perspective
By Dr Enrico Bonadio
The talk considers the issue of whether anonymous artists can enforce copyright in courts while keeping their real identity confidential. This question is addressed by looking specifically at the street art and graffiti scenarios. Anonymity (and pseudonymity) are indeed common in these artistic communities where pieces such as murals are often created illegally. After underlining the importance of anonymity for artists (as well as other categories of authors like journalists, novelists and musicians), the talk briefly highlights the arguments against and in favour of giving anonymous authors copyright enforcement rights. The focus then shifts to the Berne Convention provisions on anonymous and pseudonymous works and the role of publishers and other entities when it comes to managing and enforcing the relevant rights. Then, in its second part, the talk addresses the legal issue in question in selected jurisdictions, namely US, Canada, Australia, UK and France.

About the Speakers

Dr Susan Hansen is Europe's most cited street art scholar. She is an interdisciplinary academic with a background in forensic psychology, visual sociology, and art history. Her unique approach to street art, graffiti, and urban contemporary art is grounded in her intersectional expertise. Susan is Co-Chair of the Visual and Arts-based Methods Group at Middlesex University, London. She is Editor-in-Chief of Nuart Journal, Editor Emerita of Visual Studies and President of the International Visual Sociology Association. Susan is committed to engaging and connecting outsider audiences with contemporary urban art and scholarship through open access publications, symposia, and uncommissioned independent public art.

Dr Enrico Bonadio is Reader in Law at City, University of London. He teaches, researches, and advises in the field of intellectual property (IP) law. His research agenda is wide-ranging, having recently focused on IP protection of non-conventional forms of creativity, including street art and graffiti. He is the author of numerous publications on several aspects of IP law, including books, academic articles, book chapters and journalistic pieces. Enrico has attracted funding from a variety of bodies, including the European Commission, UK Research and Innovation, UK Economic and Social Research Council, and the UK Higher Education Innovation Funding. He is also Deputy Editor in Chief of the European Journal of Risk Regulation and member of the Editorial Boards of the European Intellectual Property Review and the NUART Journal. Enrico has been delivering classes and talks in more than 140 universities and research institutions in six continents and his research has been covered by several media outfits including CNN, Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, Washington Post, New York Times, Reuters, South China Morning Post, BBC, The Times, The Guardian, The Independent, Politico and Associated Press.

How to join us

All are welcome.

• If you want to join us in person, please book your place via Eventbrite.
• If you would like to join us via Zoom, please register here.