Trustees Without Trust

Thomas Dixie Elliot a one time blanket protester and cellmate of Bobby Sands, calls on the Bobby Sands Trust to follow the example of artist Jim Fitzpatrick,  and return the copyright of Bobby's poetry and writings to his family.

The so called Trustees of the Bobby Sands Trust should follow the example of the Irish artist Jim Fitzpatrick, who painted the iconic black and red image of Che Guevara in 1968 and hand over the copyright of Bobby's poetry and writings to his family.

Fitzpatrick initially released the portrait copyright-free for intended use among revolutionary groups world-wide, however having for so long witnessed reproductions of his Che painting being, in his words, 'used for crass commercial purposes' applied for documentation to prove that he is the copyright holder and recently obtained it. He said that it was 'not about making money, it's to make sure that it is used properly.'


He also said:

I have no problem seeing it on mass numbers of T-shirts. I just don't want someone to be making vast amounts of money from it when that money could be used for a children's hospital in Havana.

The artist said he will travel to Havana to legally hand the copyright over to the Guevara family:

I simply want to hand it over and give the family the rights to the image that I created and let them decide what to do with it. I caused the problem and now I am seeking to rectify it.

Would, I wonder, those members of Sinn Féin who hold the copyright to Bobby's writings against the wishes of his family, do likewise?

2 comments:

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  2. Is nothing sacred any more shame on those who would create hardship on the sands family

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