Emilio Isgrò vs. Roger Waters: Plagiarism Lawsuit Explored in New Artribune Podcast

The latest episode of 'Storie dell’Arte', an artcrime podcast produced by Mosè Previti for Artribune, delves into the 2017 plagiarism lawsuit brought by Italian conceptual artist Emilio Isgrò against Pink Floyd bassist Roger Waters. Isgrò, born in Barcellona Pozzo di Gotto in 1937 and renowned for his 'cancellature' (erasures), accused Waters of plagiarizing his work for the cover of the album 'Is This The Life We Really Want?'. The Court of Milan initially ruled in Isgrò's favor, blocking album sales, but the parties later reached a settlement and the case was dismissed. The podcast expands beyond this legal battle to explore Isgrò's broader career, from his 1963 meeting with John F. Kennedy to his enduring influence on contemporary art. It examines the genesis and implications of his erasures as a political, philosophical, and poetic gesture, and reflects on Italian identity within the global art system. The episode also addresses intellectual property and the circulation of new ideas in an era dominated by technology and global chaos. Previous episodes covered Caravaggio's 'The Taking of Christ' and the most famous art theft of the early 20th century.