A Retail Chain Named Joe Fresh Is Selling T-Shirts That Look Like Christopher Wool Fakes

Are these shirts paying homage to Christopher Wool's style, or are they just ripping off his art?

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Complex Original

Image via Complex Original

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There's a thin line between being inspired by an artist's work and completely biting their style. A fashion brand/retail chain named Joe Fresh is being accused of the latter with their new line of graphic t-shirts that bear a strong resemblance to the work of American artist Christopher Wool.

Image via being_awake on Instagram

As ANIMAL points out, "the black on white stencil lettering and breaks in words carried over to the next line is 100% Wool, but the spacing between the letters and the t-shirt’s lackluster branded text is a big, banal deviation." Besides liking the way it looks, there doesn't seem to be a reason for Joe Fresh's adoption of Wool's aesthetic. Art F City calls it "problematic," and references the Artist Rights Society (ARS) and the fact that "if you have copyright on a work of art, even derivative works based upon the work are subject to copyright laws."

Should Wool's lawyer put an end to this, or should he ignore it and let Joe Fresh live? Share your thoughts in the comment section.

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[via ANIMAL]

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