22 February, 2011
- Sal Marino, Founder of Funism
- 2,900 Views
- 30 Comments
Funism Art Movement - Sal Marino, Founder
Ordinarilly I wouldn't mind someone imitating what I do. If fact, it's downright flattering when another artist tries to do what you have already done. But when it comes to theft of intellectual property, it is important to speak out. Somewhere around 2001-2002 I, Sal Marino, began promoting The Funism Art Movement as an original concept and I claimed copyright to the terms "Funism Art Movement" "Funism Art" "Funist", etc. As the notion began to gain attention, several artists, including my good friend, Jay (dots) Smithline of Calabassas, CA jumped on the Funism Bandwagon as a means of promoting their art. Thus the Funism Art Movement was born. Somewhere around 2007 an obscure artist named Norm Magnusson surfaced, announcing to the world, via internet posts that he was the founder of the movement. At first I thought it was a joke, but as time went on, this prankster continued to assert his pirated title, attempting to distract attention from that which I had created, claiming it as his own. I challenged Magnusson to prove his claims, as I could not find any documentatiuon whatsoever prior to his spurious internet boasts circa 2007. Later he referenced an insignificant small town newspaper article in 1991 by an unknown writer who penned the phrase "fun-ism style" while referring to Magnusson's animal drawings. At no time after that publication of that article did Magnusson attach himself or his work to the "Funism" label nor did he identify or promote his work to be associated with The Funism Art Movement until some time in 2007. He did so only after he realized that the movement could afford him some publicity for himself. It would stand to reason that if Magnusson did indeed create the movement in 1991, as his deceptive internet rants claim, that there would be numerous posts and other significant documentation to support his claim. However, the only proof Magnusson could report are the untrue claims of being the founder of the movement, long after I had announced it, after I claimed copyright and continually promoted the movement myself. Throughout art history there have been devious individuals claiming all sorts of titles and concepts as their own in an effort to detract from the origanal creators and seeking some glory for themselves. Some artists are incapable of original thought. Magnusson is no exception to the rule and it is important that he be exposed as the thief and prankster that he is. As for myself, I will let history be the judge of Sal Marino's Art, The Funism Art Movement and truth...
