Moschino and Katy Perry sued for copying Joseph Tierney mural
Joseph Tierney, a street artist, has filed a copyright lawsuit against Moschino and its creative director Jeremy Scott, as well as Katy Perry, for using his mural "Vandal Eyes" on a dress worn by Perry at the Met Gala in August 2015. Tierney claims the unauthorized reproduction compromised his credibility as a graffiti artist. The case was initially dismissed by California judges who argued that illegal graffiti cannot be protected by copyright. However, Tierney insists he had permission to paint the mural on a building in Detroit. The defense controversially compared the case to whether the Black Dahlia murderer could sue a photographer for documenting the crime. With no clear legal precedent, an out-of-court settlement is expected.
Key facts
- Katy Perry wore a Moschino dress with a print of Joseph Tierney's mural at the 2015 Met Gala.
- The mural, titled 'Vandal Eyes', was painted on a building in Detroit with permission.
- Tierney sued Moschino and Jeremy Scott for copyright infringement.
- California judges dismissed the case, stating illegal works lack legal protection.
- Tierney argued his work was legally created with permission.
- Defense lawyers invoked the Black Dahlia case to question intellectual property rights.
- No copyright law specifically addresses street art, leading to likely out-of-court settlement.
- The incident occurred in August 2015 at the Costume Institute Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Entities
Artists
- Joseph Tierney
- Katy Perry
- Jeremy Scott
Institutions
- Moschino
- Costume Institute
- Metropolitan Museum of Art
Locations
- New York City
- United States
- California
- Detroit