A Remix 1.5: Jackal & Hyde

An unauthorised, licit remix.

The ‘A Remix’ series are all remixed from one piece of art from one artist. I cite the art and artist including a link to purchase the work in Unlockable content.

I made the decision to do this to highlight the following:

• Your work could be remixed and be so transformed you may never know
• Remixes can be inspired by appreciation for your work and can be an opportunity for a kind of collaborative promotion of you and your original work.

Why did I create this series?

Sometime I prefer to make art to express myself rather than wasting time when someone is ‘wrong on the internet’.

I end up having so much fun creating I almost forgot why I began but then it’s time to write a description for this series…

This series was inspired by a recent Twitter discussion on remixes.

The discussion started here by @LuxExpression https://twitter.com/LuxExpression/status/1332134990675669001

But don’t stop there because as @Bitjamin pointed out, the piece in question was already a remix https://twitter.com/Bitjamin/status/1333074302086881280

My real inspiration for this series came from @secondrealm who when challenged by several artists to remix their work, promptly did so. Then there was wailing and cries of theft and injustice from said artist/s followed by pleas to Rarible to remove the art.

Sadly, Rarible did remove the art but it is still available on Opensea. That damned concept of immutability and decentralization.

The artist also intentionally or unintentionally ’Streisand-ed’ themselves. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Streisand_effect

Rarible is inviting all to collaborate on the community guidelines on copying art & fair use Thursday 3 Dec. 12pm EST https://twitter.com/xCryptochild/status/1333485994679562240

Please read the following on copyright and remixes:

‘NEVER JUDGE A BOOK BY ITS COVER’ — A treatise on the pondering’s of the collective on the topic of copyright, power structures governing use of ideas, and on the idea of owning and controlling an idea in the first place Borg Brain https://borgbraincrypto.medium.com/never-judge-a-book-by-its-cover-5c899720fa47

‘The problem with remixes’ @SecondRealm https://medium.com/@secondrealm/the-problem-with-remixes-a75feefa1c91

Must-reads from @CollinsCustomIP

‘Parody Doesn’t Infringe' https://medium.com/@collindyer/parody-doesnt-infringe-215608bfc292

‘CRYPTOART REMIX RULES’ https://medium.com/@collindyer/cryptoart-remix-rules-45a558d32241

‘Some Remixes are just Shitty Ripoffs’ https://medium.com/@collindyer/some-remixes-are-just-shitty-ripoffs-159ac42ce438

My brief thoughts: Rarible should have a clear set of guidelines that artists must satisfy before work is taken down. Not opinion. Collin’s ‘a new standard: obviousness’ should be considered.

Artists should try to understand some basics of copyright law.

Collectors should research before they buy.

Remember, this is crypto - take some responsibility instead of appealing to a third party to regulate, please.

If I had followed Collin’s rules of remixing strictly, this series may never have been made.