BRONZE ARTISTS FOR COPYRIGHT

BRONZE ARTISTS FOR COPYRIGHT to save authenticity of bronze art and bronze sculptures, keep the original bronze art

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an artist and his copyright story

original	www.desmondfountain.com From the Studio of the Internationally Acclaimed Sculptor Desmond Fountain F R B S, Fellow of the Royal Society of British Sculptors CROOKS ARE USING TODAY'S TECHNOLOGY TO PLUNDER THE WORKS OF LIVING SCULPTORS Desmond Fountain, 57, is the latest victim to discover that his exquisite, lifesize bronze sculptures are being illegally mass reproduced in Asia and sold for a fraction of the true value of the original in the USA and Europe. "It's a struggle to achieve any recognition as a sculptor, as bronze castings require significant outlay and much ability. The human form has been a source of inspiration for sculptors since the dawn of time. It makes it all the more difficult to create original works to stand apart from the rest. I have, over the years, managed to achieve this by conscientiously seeking new ways to pose my models and never referring to other artists' works for inspiration. My bronzes are issued in limited editions, which has maintained their exclusivity. The grand scale of this 'thievery' was brought to my attention recently by a colleague in the USA, through the discovery of a copy of one of my sculptures on the Internet", says Desmond Fountain. Further investigation has revealed that some 18 of Desmond's bronzes are being mass-reproduced in life-size castings and marketed as original works of art. Apart from having his work stolen in this way it is being sold at such low prices that it makes it impossible for him to compete and it is having a significant impact on his income. The same problem is affecting other internationally acclaimed sculptors. Today's advanced technology is allowing these fraudulent copies to be created by using 3D digital cameras. The images are then fed into a computer, where software faithfully reproduces the original form. It is basically as easy as making a photocopy, but this is theft and it is being operated by crooks. "I have always employed the best foundries in the western hemisphere as integrity is at stake," says Desmond. The respect for intellectual property is not part of the culture in the Far East; that is why the crooks are using the Asian foundries to do their dirty work and, of course, at a mere fraction of the cost. Initial research has found that foundry workers in Asia earn about $50 per month. A foundry craftsman in the UK, for instance, earns the equivalent of $3800 per month. So it is not only the sculptor who is suffering and, without the skills of the original craftsmen in the foundry, the sculptures would not be worth reproducing. To add to Desmond's outrage and frustration he has found these international gangs have used one of his own photographs of one of his sculptures from his current catalogue to advertise their fake. So what is the incentive to strive for perfection and originality? How would even Michelangelo or Rodin survive today in the face of such unscrupulous use of technology? Something has to be done on an international scale to protect our artists. Bronzecopyright!	not original
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Not originals and Desmond Fountain with original photo in his book.

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