Street-printed shirts by Emma France Raff

Sep 8, 2017 12:57 PM

iwasdoingfinelurking

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239509

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7035

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260

Artist prints t-shirts from manhole covers.

http://www.emmafrance.de/work/raubdruckerin

These shirts really need video publicity on how they are made, otherwise they might as well have been made with stamps or regular printing.

8 years ago | Likes 6 Dislikes 0

The copyrights stuff, i get it. Public works could be considered public domain. It'd be great for her to partner w/ the cities, start a fund

8 years ago | Likes 23 Dislikes 2

now if only someone would figure out a way to make a profit from reposts

8 years ago | Likes 10 Dislikes 1

My man hole never made any money

8 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

What happens when you wash it?

8 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

Nothing. It get's clean. Print stays

8 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

Buncha keyboard lawyers bitchin up this whole thread lol. She's not getting sued for that.

8 years ago | Likes 18 Dislikes 4

I thought the same thing. Can't just enjoy the creativity they must complain (though complaining here won't do any good)

8 years ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 2

They confuse Berlin with the USA where nothing is possible

8 years ago | Likes 5 Dislikes 0

Whst kind of paint is it? I wanna try.

8 years ago | Likes 5 Dislikes 0

This is so dumb

8 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

I don't think I ever realized how beautiful manholes are... That sounds a lot dirtier than what it actually means....

8 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

I've been looking at out man hole covers they are so boring all it says on it is sewers with a whole bunch of raised squares. So bland

8 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

Does she also do it with the Stolpersteine, for ultimate cringey disrespect?

8 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

Just throw ink on everything, that won't mess up anyone's day. Or do they clean it up after, hopefully?

8 years ago | Likes 217 Dislikes 15

Who gives a fuck? This is Berlin, not New York. -Berlin based German

8 years ago | Likes 5 Dislikes 4

Thats what I was wondering, what happens to all the run off when it rains. Seems pretty selfish to me

8 years ago | Likes 39 Dislikes 5

Well duh, Berlin hipsters are as narcissistic as any other hipster.

8 years ago | Likes 20 Dislikes 3

Neat!

8 years ago | Likes 22 Dislikes 4

I think it's neat too! People are being a bit critical here.

8 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Super cool and creative. Actually looks great too

8 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Real grate ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°

8 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Wonder if she could replicate the puddle of hobo piss in most corner entrances.

8 years ago | Likes 8 Dislikes 2

"what's that print on your shirt supposed to be?" "Oh it's an imprint of a manhole"

8 years ago | Likes 6 Dislikes 1

I like it. Do you think it looks stupid?

8 years ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 1

I have questions. Does this count as graffiti? Will it confuse the Ninja Turtles?

8 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

"That spot is kinda brown, I wanted black ink all over" "Ah that's not ink, I rolled a random dog turd as well"

8 years ago | Likes 48 Dislikes 8

Fuck off grandpa

8 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 2

Fuckin' kids! (Upvoted, phlegm coughed and pulled pants up under my tits)

8 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

"GET OFF ME LAWN" - you prob

8 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Shit right, garden hose in hand and all.

8 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

hose down the kids

8 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

will it stay once washed?

8 years ago | Likes 9 Dislikes 0

It says it will on their webpage

8 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

I was wondering that as well. I'm thinking if she uses screenprint ink (whatever it's actually called) that it should stay reasonably well

8 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

It would work if she cured it. Normally thats done with high heat. Maybe its something that air cures?

8 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

plastisol

8 years ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 0

Thanks!

8 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

you are welcome!

8 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

This is grate!

8 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

This is fucking intelligent.

8 years ago | Likes 12 Dislikes 8

She's not from Austria is she? I just try to keep an eye on Austrian artists in Germany.

8 years ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 1

Cool concept. But literally taking someone else's work for profit.

8 years ago | Likes 54 Dislikes 20

It's basically the same as taking a photograph of a building.

8 years ago | Likes 6 Dislikes 1

I mean I would feel dumb for not thinking about this idea. I'd rather have my art be worn than covering some sewer.

8 years ago | Likes 9 Dislikes 5

I'd be a little upset if I saw a design I made being sold by someone else without being at least asked or told first..

8 years ago | Likes 8 Dislikes 2

To be fair a lot of those manhole cover designs are decades old at least. So you could be dead by the time somebody did it to yours.

8 years ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 0

I agree with your sentiment, but it's being used in a transformative work. Not much different from how letsplayers and streamers use games

8 years ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 5

I don't really see how the work was transformed, unless putting it on a different canvas somehow magically transforms it.

8 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 1

It's taking a 3-dimensional cast object and using it as a printing block to apply a design to another medium. That is transformative

8 years ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 2

But letsplayers and streamers still credit the makers of the game or at least say they are in no way affiliated with said company so (1/2)

8 years ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 1

They aren't sued (2/2)

8 years ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 1

sorry but it reminded me of this!

8 years ago | Likes 5 Dislikes 1

That's awesome, good for her. I hope she makes millions!

8 years ago | Likes 11 Dislikes 8

Would you keep a hoodie that dropped on the ground? If the answer is yes, stop crying

8 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 2

who's crying?

8 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

You are. Figuratively.

8 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 2

Crying that I can't get one of these maybe. I'm about this shit.

8 years ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 0

Fuuuuck i actually commented the wrong post. Sorry my love! I suck!

8 years ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 0

commented the wrong guy, vvv

8 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

????Instead of seeing a woman/person creatively finding a way to make a decent living, all you can do is piss on her/their dreams? Seriously

8 years ago | Likes 29 Dislikes 21

Yeah, what happened to this community? Suddenly they're all bitter toxic asshats. : (

8 years ago | Likes 10 Dislikes 6

The comments under this post are toxic af

8 years ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 0

It's almost like anyone with internet can come on here and make a comment....

8 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

This is true. But I am also allowed to find their pessimism toxic.

8 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

So if a big ol company takes an artist's work willy nilly and profits from it without consulting the artist you'd be 100% ok with that?

8 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

They do that anyway. lol

8 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

it's always been like this, m8

8 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Indeed. When someone quilts Van Gogh's Starry Night etc onto a quilt it's cool, but when a street artist takes prints off manholes-THEFT OMG

8 years ago | Likes 6 Dislikes 0

Gogh died over 100 years ago and his art is public domain.... this comparison doesn't make any sense whatsoever

8 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 2

Many of these manhole covers may be headed for antique/public domain status. My point is more about the claims of "derivative" art.

8 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

You wouldn't consider this derivative art? She's basically just copying and pasting the manhole straight up

8 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Of course they are derivative art. I also think they are a wonderful way to display the unique character of a city.

8 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

As a former screen printer, I fucking love this!!

8 years ago | Likes 5 Dislikes 1

People acting as if anyone would have noticed the manhole covers' unique designs if it wasn't for her. And it may benefit Them, too

8 years ago | Likes 10 Dislikes 5

In regards to the link you sent they are basically doing the same,benefiting or not,their actions are still bringing exposure to the designs

8 years ago | Likes 0 Dislikes 0

So idk why you’re calling me ignorant when we’re [BASICALLY] saying the same thing

8 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

People have, actually. I think I heard about someone making a book collecting different designs ages ago, & there are lots webpages re them.

8 years ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 0

i.e. just because you've been ignorant of something doesn't mean everyone else has too.

8 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 1

Making a profit from vandalism?

8 years ago | Likes 134 Dislikes 37

Go home grandpa

8 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 3

That's a paddlin'

8 years ago | Likes 7 Dislikes 0

Oh jesus christ those vandals put ink on our precious manhole covers!

8 years ago | Likes 73 Dislikes 30

They poisoned our water supply, burned our crops, and delivered a plague unto our houses!

8 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 1

It's annoying. Step on it and you will mark up the sidewalk/roads. Her work makes the area uglier

8 years ago | Likes 8 Dislikes 4

Ink is toxic. Think about the fish! Also imagine stepping on that while it's still wet. I hope she cleans them when she is done.

8 years ago | Likes 12 Dislikes 6

They're ruining our city with their water-soluble manhole ink!

8 years ago | Likes 28 Dislikes 28

They've painted our rusty manhole! Dear god man call the authorities, I want this rabble contained!

8 years ago | Likes 8 Dislikes 6

Probably not water soluble. That means the shirt would never survive a wash

8 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

I highly doubt that ink/paint is water soluble considering that fact that it's used to print designs on shirts. They have to be washed lol

8 years ago | Likes 38 Dislikes 5

This♤♤

8 years ago | Likes 8 Dislikes 3

Eco friendly inks

8 years ago | Likes 7 Dislikes 8

Go home, hippie!

8 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 5

Ink is one of the least "eco friendly" inventions mankind has conceived. Ink is either "shit" or marketed as being "less shit".

8 years ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 2

yes fun right? But nono, Berlin is not the only city being printed.... gif stops.

8 years ago | Likes 5 Dislikes 1

There is a yt source for that somewhere. This is old as fuck

8 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

She might get sued by foundries who actually paid engineers to design these

8 years ago | Likes 1213 Dislikes 37

????I seriously doubt that. If anything, others/big biznis would be copying/stealing her idea. I'd be thrilled to buy her 'art work!' ??????

8 years ago | Likes 5 Dislikes 15

she doesnt live in the USA, no suing

8 years ago | Likes 7 Dislikes 2

But if it's public, then there is no private domain (paid by taxes?). She would have to clean up, of course.

8 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 1

I'd doubt it, but it does seem kind of douchy to capitalize on someone else's work like this.

8 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 2

Uh no.

8 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

I heard your mom could also be sued

8 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

I'd say it's the negative of the image but that's just me

8 years ago | Likes 5 Dislikes 0

It's a positive, reversed.

8 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

In the US this would be covered under fair use as this is Transformative use. Which is a relatively new addition to fair use (1/2)

8 years ago | Likes 8 Dislikes 0

law, having been first raised in a Supreme Court decision in 1994. (Campbell v. Acuff-Rose Music, 510 U.S. 569 (1994.) (2/3) [bad at this]

8 years ago | Likes 5 Dislikes 0

A derivative work is transformative if it uses a source work in completely new or unexpected ways. (3/3)

8 years ago | Likes 5 Dislikes 0

The city loved the idea actually. After all it's Berlin, not NewYork or some other place with all the wrong rules

8 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

Nah. It's a "creative medium". There needs to be (depending on country) some form of visible proof that it's a licensed product. If 1/?

8 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

there is, they can sue her. If not, it's no different than a photographer selling photos of the same things. If the photographer 2/?

8 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

Photoshopped the image of, say, the manhole cover, to look like it does on the shirt, it could be sold without a lawsuit. 3/4

8 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Again, depending on the country and its copyright laws.

8 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

This is Germany, not the US. The chance of someone sueing over this are slim.

8 years ago | Likes 57 Dislikes 4

Especially in Berlin.

8 years ago | Likes 5 Dislikes 0

I don't think it's wrong to try and defend your artwork. That said, I agree that the US is lawsuit-crazy.

8 years ago | Likes 10 Dislikes 0

OR - malicious companies altered the public mindset to believe there was an outbreak of "frivolous lawsuits" so people wouldn't sue as much.

8 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

Let ask you this. If she were to take a picture of the manhole and PRINT that picture out, then out that picture on a shirt, would that be

8 years ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 0

any different from what she's doing with the ink? No. In fact the ink print is a flipped image so technically she's not doing anything

8 years ago | Likes 5 Dislikes 0

wrong. The ink print is technically a different image since it is flipped.

8 years ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 0

The ink makes it more problematic than a photo: She's more likely to get fined, if she doesn't clean up the mess she makes, before leaving.

8 years ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 0

Now that's fair, but I'm sure she cleans it up. I'd hope so anyway.

8 years ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 0

If that were the case, every photographer who's ever taken pictures of building, bridges, sewer covers.... could also be sued.

8 years ago | Likes 107 Dislikes 30

If you sell your imagery you need a property release. Some buildings are trademarked and you can never sell your image of that or you will

8 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Sued. The only way you can show it is if it's in a cityscape. Sydney Opera House is Trademarked

8 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Only if they try to sell the photos. Do you realize how much money the Empire State Building makes on royalties?

8 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

only if he starts selling those things, and yes, often times you need a permit for that

8 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

You have the right to take photos in public, that right does not extend to copyright free usage of anything on the street.

8 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 2

Most of the manholes in the city are over 70 years old some are 100 years old don't think anyone's around to sue her

8 years ago | Likes 44 Dislikes 9

You really think the covers they're using are the old ones though?

8 years ago | Likes 14 Dislikes 3

It's easy enough to tell. Most of them are dated.

8 years ago | Likes 5 Dislikes 0

You gotta remember, this is Europe. The history goes back thousands of years there, not just a few hundred like the US

8 years ago | Likes 5 Dislikes 0

I'm wholeheartedly saddened that so many people take copyright law seriously rather than something that should be mocked &then destroyed

8 years ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 0

Because I want my art to be respected and respect others art. I agree with copyright law. You can't make money off someone's art without

8 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Their permission

8 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

I think that any non-mass produced work that imitates another work should never be held to copyright laws and thank god for the most part

8 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

it doesn't.

8 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Not imitates but uses that work.

8 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

it doesn't.

8 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Public property. Unless the city trademarked the designs (not likely) and actually enforces it on a regular basis (even less likely)...

8 years ago | Likes 16 Dislikes 0

Actually the more interesting ones probably are trademarked and are definitely copyrighted.

8 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 1

...not likely to see any real action, unless she blows up and makes a shit ton of money. Just ask NYC about that whole "I <3" logo

8 years ago | Likes 12 Dislikes 0

What happened?

8 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Or the city, or some environmental group, for the whole dumping ink all over the street thing.

8 years ago | Likes 404 Dislikes 12

Jesus, can't somebody just do one thing without the threat of being taken to court?? This suing culture we got going on now is pathetic

8 years ago | Likes 17 Dislikes 7

Can't people just behave responsibly without needing to be babysat? Seems not. Lawless losers. Sad.

8 years ago | Likes 7 Dislikes 6

transferring ink from a drain cover to a t-shirt is hurting no one and not affecting the environment- that's your definition of lawless?

8 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

My definition is the standard English one: "not restrained by the law". Hurting people is completely irrelevant.

8 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 1

This is why we can't have nice things.

8 years ago | Likes 47 Dislikes 13

Because people irresponsibly abuse property held in common that is meant for the benefit of society at large?

8 years ago | Likes 32 Dislikes 12

8 years ago | Likes 11 Dislikes 1

It is actually eco-friendly ink

8 years ago | Likes 49 Dislikes 10

Fair enough. Although, eco-friendly vandalism is still vandalism.

8 years ago | Likes 49 Dislikes 8

It's Berlin, basically graffiti heaven.

8 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 1

I would say it gets washed away by the rain. Idk. I live in Berlin and actually never saw a manhole cover that was covered in black ink.

8 years ago | Likes 26 Dislikes 11

Why is this getting downvoted?

8 years ago | Likes 12 Dislikes 6

In Ottawa a lady called the fire department to come wash off the vandalism kids were doing. They were drawing with chalk and still playing.

8 years ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 1

So they were defacing public property with chalk? They should be taught that this kind of behavior is not permitted.

8 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 4

People will bitch about anything. If they cant find something they will bitch about not being to bitch. Stop bitching, bitch

8 years ago | Likes 9 Dislikes 9

8 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 2