Art

Artist Taken legal action against by Iceland's Leading Fishing Firm After Counterfeit Apology Website

.An Icelandic craft pupil is actually being actually sued by Iceland's biggest angling business, Samherji, after making an artwork apologizing for its supposed job in the supposed Fishrot detraction.
The detraction takes its title coming from a store of over 30,000 documents leaked through a former Samherij worker in Namibia as well as posted by Wikileaks in Nov 2019. The so-called "Fishrot Files" detail e-mail communication between Samherji's employees recommending that the business paid countless bucks in bribes to upper-level politicians and also representatives in Namibia to obtain the southerly African country's angling quota.Samherji had actually definitely denied charges of bribery as well as the 10 charged Namibian authorities have actually opposed their virtue surrounded by detention for over 4 years. The scenario attacked Namibia's higher court in the end of in 2013 and also is actually ongoing.

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In 2023, performer Oddur Eysteinn Friu00f0riksson, referred to as ODEE, created the art pieces Our team are actually Unhappy. The work was a bogus UK-registered website reproducing Samherji's main internet site, however with the art work's headline plastered in sizable font style around the homepage.
" I was angry and also saddened by the activities of Samherji in Namibia, which were revealed by means of the 'Fishrot Data,' and also after three years no one had actually been brought before the bar or even incriminated," ODEE told ARTnews. "I really felt that no one coming from Iceland had actually connected to Namibia to apologize for what occurred. Therefore, my art pieces is actually an apology in behalf of Icelanders to the Namibian nation.".




Oddur Eysteinn Friu00f0riksson, also called ODEE.Thanks To Oddur Eysteinn Friu00f0riksson.


ODEE, who is actually researching for a masters in fine art at the University of Bergen, Norway, likewise delivered a press release titled "Samherji Asks forgiveness, Promises Restoration as well as Cooperation with Regulators" to one hundred foreign media electrical outlets in twenty various countries.
" Our company at Samherji would like to issue a professional apology for our engagement pertaining to the Fishrot scandal," the fake press release checks out. "We acknowledge the severity of the charges against our company, that include nepotism, bribery, and also neocolonialism. These actions have undermined Namibia's control and also deprived the country of important earnings for health and also education. Our company confess to using assistance expenses to permit corrupt monetary transactions, drawing out monetize Namibia, and spending minimal taxes. Our company also concede that our experts have illegally taken advantage of mackerel quotas, which brought about task losses and resilient damage to the Namibian economic condition.".
Samherji responded to the musician's press release through posting a main declaration in May in 2013.
" Samherji's interest has been attracted to the truth that unknown shady events have actually sent out a phony news release in Samherji's label to international media electrical outlets," it reviews. "The same parties also seem to have established an artificial website by the business ... It should be kept in mind that not either the site nor journalism launch possesses any sort of relationship along with Samherji or the business's employees. This appears to be an organized assault that the business takes quite seriously.".
Around the very same opportunity, Samherji filed a grievance in the UK, accusing ODEE of trademark breach as well as harmful falsehood as well as looking for loss among the bunk website and also press release. A UK higher court judge permitted an interim order last May to take down the site. The instance is still ongoing.As portion of the artwork, the musician likewise coated words "WE'RE SORRY" on a wall structure at Iceland's Reykjavu00edk Fine art Museum. The mural was part of a team show for graduates coming from the Iceland University of the Arts, where ODEE analyzed before moving to Norway.




The landscape at Iceland's Reykjavik Fine art Gallery.Courtesy of Oddur Eysteinn Friu00f0riksson.


ODEE has create a GoFundMe web page to raise money for his defense. He informed ARTnews that he will definitely be forced to shield himself in court if he stops working to elevate $22,500. At the time of creating, gifts amount to just over $4,500.
" I am actually right now at a critical time. My legal group has actually been actually working for the public good for numerous months, but Samherji, a multi-billion dollar corporation, has actually utilized tactics made to diminish our information," he stated. "Without financial support at this crucial point, I fear I will definitely stand up alone and without correct defense in the high court of London.".
A hearing is set to happen by the end of September in the UK. Andra Matei, a legal representative coming from Paris-based law practice Avant-Garde Lawyers, which concentrates on defending musicians, has been working with ODEE. She informed ARTnews that Samherji is actually finding a summary judgment, which will determine the outcome without a trial.
" Our experts really want ODEE to possess his time in court," Matei said. "This instance is actually an unusual as well as special option to stabilize the right to freedom of expression of a musician versus the IP legal rights of a company, when factors to consider of public rate of interest go to concern. While this is essential for ODEE, the situation has far-reaching ramifications for the whole imaginative area. Providing [Samherji's] case can very seriously inhibit artists and also everybody else coming from speaking out in creative methods to produce crucial chats and storing the physical exercise of public as well as private energy to profile.".
Matei said the protection she has actually readied is actually "advanced." "Our experts are actually switching the concentrate on ODEE's right to freedom of speech," she clarified. "Free speech is actually certainly not a defense you would commonly use in a trademark case.".
The Organization of Icelandic Artists, on the other hand, released a claim this week punishing Samherji's activities.
" It is actually a severe concern when a large scale international business company utilizes it u00b4 s electrical power and also financial superiority to define and also confine the freedom of speech by filing a claim against a fine art student in an overseas court where the student has even less implies as well as choices to guard themself," it reads through. [We share] outright and also undeniable uniformity with the lack of censorship and also expression of performers.".
In 2021, Samherji Chief Executive Officer u00deorsteinn Mu00e1r Baldvinsson provided an affidavit along with the High Court of Namibia, vehemently rejecting any involvement or know-how of wrongdoing. (Samherji ex-general supervisor and also whistleblower Ju00f3hannes Stefu00e1nsson had earlier implicated Baldvinsson of being actually the "principal designer" of agreements in between Samherji and the Namibian fishing associations. In the sworn statement, Baldvinsson refused engagement in any sort of such arrangements and said he could possibly "absolutely not be described as the 'principal engineer.'").
Around the same opportunity, Baldvinsson discharged a social statement.
" It is my and Samherji's organization role that no unlawful infractions were dedicated in Namibia through companies on our account or their workers, other than the conduct that the previous handling director has actually directly admitted to as well as recognized. Nevertheless, as Samherji's top executive, I am responsible for enabling your business process in Namibia to take place. It has disturbed our personnel, close friends, households, service partners, clients and also others in our community. I am incredibly regretful that this taken place, and I all the best say sorry to all those involved, each personally and in behalf of the provider. Currently it is vital to guarantee that absolutely nothing enjoy this happens once more. Our company will undoubtedly strive for that.".
Samherji performed certainly not reply to ARTnews' request for comment.