The ruling late last week by a federal judge in Los Angeles was the second major blow in two years to a bid by toy maker Mattel to defend Barbie's image from use by artists and singers.

Utah-based artist Tom Forsythe said on Tuesday he was "amazed and truly ecstatic" at the judge's ruling that Mattel should reimburse the $1.8 million he had spent defending his work against a copyright lawsuit launched in 1999.

Forsythe incurred Mattel's wrath with his "Food Chain Barbie" series of 78 photographs featuring the popular plastic doll in kitchen appliances ranging from a martini glass to a fondue pot. Other photos showed the doll stuffed into a tortilla, a fondue pot and a blender.
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Forsythe said the ruling "sets a new standard for the ability to criticize popular brands and do so without the fear of being sued."

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) - An artist who became the target of a federal terrorism investigation was indicted Tuesday on charges he illegally obtained potentially harmful biological materials.

Also charged was a university administrator who allegedly helped him obtain the organisms, which colleagues have said he planned to use in an art project.

Steven Kurtz, the artist and a University at Buffalo professor, and Robert Ferrell, chairman of the University of Pittsburgh's Human Genetics Department, were charged with wire fraud and mail fraud.

- posted by Cynthia @ 12:20 AM | | | Link |