Artist behind iconic Obama poster sentenced to two years' probation
/Acclaimed street artist Shepard Fairey has been sentenced to two years’ probation and asked to pay a $25,000 fine after being found guilty of criminal contempt in a case involving his now iconic “HOPE” image adopted by Barack Obama’s 2008 campaign.
Fairey, 42, pleaded guilty back in February to one count of criminal contempt for destroying documents, manufacturing evidence and other misconduct, the Los Angeles Times reports. The artist had been in trouble with the Associated Press over the alleged misuse of a photograph taken of Mr. Obama by an AP staffer in 2006, only to admit after the fact that he attempted to present himself as innocent by fabricating elements in his case.
While Fairey initially received accolades for his “Hope” image used during President Obama’s first run for the White House, the AP insisted that the artist was guilty of copyright infringement, a claim he contested by saying the image was protected under fair-use laws. In return, Fairey turned around and filed a suit against the AP, but not before publically admitting in October 2009 that he lied about the photograph he used for his source, nearly one year after Fairey’s image helped elect President Obama.
