In the text titled ‘Should we recognize an object’s own rights?’ which was prepared for an exhibition in collaboration with the Victoria and Albert Museum and La Biennale di Venezia (A World of Fragile Parts), Sam Jacob explores forms of ownership over objects, their control and ultimately as the title suggests the recognition of the objects own rights.
This thought-provoking piece proposes questions of the increasingly relevant issue of copyright legislation, its over bearing nature and how this impacts on our interpretation and appreciation of objects.
It is interesting to note that, ‘copyright is an automatic right and arises whenever an individual or company creates a work’ (Fact sheet P-01:UK Copyright Law). The legislation encompasses all forms of digital and physical mediums, from sound recordings, literally pieces to artistic expressions.
The concept of copyright law dates back to 1709 and ultimately provides rights to the owner to control the ways in which their material may be used. The current legislation states that ‘just like any other asset, copyright may be transferred or sold by the copyright owner to another party’
Whilst copyright ownership can be bought, sold or transferred offering a flexibility of ownership, the objects themselves and their accessibility are restricted by the structure of the legislation. New technological advancements are now breaking down the barriers of how objects can be appreciated, ‘increasingly releasing objects from a static material state. Objects now are re-conceived as densities of information and knowledge’ (Sam Jacob)
Oliver Pickering
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