RE: In light of our NEW NFT ART PROJECT on Hive I have concerns with Hive Watchers policing of the art community // Long post with philosophical thoughts about art

I find the art "plagiarism" an issue in the same way Julia does. If I paint it, it is mine, regardless of what my inspiration is. I don't even think references to the original work are needed (but might be included), as my painting is an original in and of itself - despite the inspiration. If I paint a near-exact copy and try to sell it as someone else's, it is a forgery.

For digital art where it is a simple pre-coded filter applied to a photo - fuck that, burn it.

The communities set up for art can police with whatever rules they choose. But I do not think "Federal laws" should be imposed on art, unless it is actual plagiarism, as it is with written text. You can't plagiarize a painting in the same way as text - you can forge it. In the digital space, forgery is a little ridiculous as it is a right-click, copy image and repost scenario - so it would have to be representing oneself as another - which is ID theft, something that is punishable at the "federal level".

Using a photo as the basis of a drawing or painting isn't plagiarism, it is a completely different medium for starters. Using another's painting as a basis isn't forgery unless one represents themselves as the original artist. Art is a personal expression and interpretation based on the skill and mind of the artist, some are more skilled than others, some are worse thinkers.

Ultimately, as long as the work is self-made, it is up to the "buyer" to decide if they will purchase. If you consider that a lot of the art on the platform is coming from non-professionals, I feel that punishing them for not behaving like they are world-renowned artists paid to be originals, is likely doing more damage than good.

People happily buy and hang prints of Da Vinci, Monet and Gaugin on their walls, and a poster printing company makes profit from the images of masters.

The real question should go to the artists themselves:

If you are copying the work of another, are you an artist?

Art isn't in the mechanical skills, it is in the ideas behind the work. Copying the ideas of another isn't artistic, any robot can do it.