Calgary artist apologizes for using British comedians' faces in public series

CTVNews.ca Staff</span>
Published Wednesday, November 29, 2017 7:57PM EST
Last Updated Wednesday, November 29, 2017 10:16PM EST

An Alberta artist has apologized for using portraits of British comedians in an art installation in downtown Calgary, saying he believed the images were already in the public domain.

Derek Besant’s series, called “Snapshots,” drew international attention after a British comedian depicted in the artwork found out that her face appeared on an underpass in Calgary.

Bisha Ali said she learned about the artwork from an old friend, who reached out after recognizing her in the piece. Ali called the unsolicited use of her likeness “a slap in the face” and said it was particularly jarring since she’s never been to Calgary.

Other comedians also recognized their faces in the series, which was installed along an underpass in Calgary in 2015 for $20,000.

In a statement on Wednesday, Besant said he received the images from a handout flyer, and it was his impression that they were already available in the public domain.

The intent of the work, Besant explained, was to depict strangers who could be “from anywhere, in any city” and begin a dialogue about urban dwellers.

Initially, the piece was billed as “cross-section of the mix of people who depend, one way or another, on this route into and out of the downtown sector.”

The artist apologized for the “misunderstanding” and asked the city to remove the artwork.

With files from CTV Calgary

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