Does Street Art Violate Unfair Competition Laws?

The Los Angeles city attorney’s office has filed a lawsuit against ten graffiti artists associated with the MTA tagging crew, charging them with violating California’s unfair competition laws because they’re selling art works on the strength of their outlaw names and reputations. “They’ve obtained an unfair advantage because they gained fame and notoriety through criminal acts,” said Anne Tremblay, assistant city attorney. “This is unlawful competition.”

Via The Huff Post. I’m on a panel today on the legal and policy issues surrounding street art, so quite timely indeed.