Nine locust sculptures made from fake designer bags were removed from an art exhibit in Kobe, Japan after a complaint lodged by luxury fashion house Louis Vuitton.
Locust sculptures made from fake designer bags
The works -- created by Kyoto-based artist Mitsuhiro Okamoto -- were on display at the Kobe Fashion Museum from April 15 until their removal in May.
Batta Mon LV
The sculptures, which measure about 40 centimeters (16 in) long, are titled "Batta Mon" -- a play on the words batta ("locust") and battamon (slang for "knockoff"). According to the artist, the works are meant to raise questions about the relationship between authenticity and imitation in a consumer-driven society.
Batta Mon LV M Mr
Unfortunately, Okamoto's social commentary was lost on Louis Vuitton, who claim the Batta Mon sculptures represent an endorsement of the illegal trade in counterfeit goods. The Kobe Fashion Museum promptly removed the sculptures from the exhibit in May, after receiving a letter of complaint from Louis Vuitton claiming that the works damage the image of their luxury products because they incorporate material from counterfeit products.
Batta Mon LV M Mc
A museum official told reporters that it was unclear whether or not the exhibit infringed on trademark rights, but said that the museum removed the pieces to avoid a legal dispute.
Batta Mon LV Da
Okamoto, who was not pleased with the museum's eagerness to bow to the will of a large corporation, said, "It is ridiculous to lump the Batta Mon sculptures into the same category as counterfeit products made for commercial purposes."
Louis Vuitton declined to comment on the matter.
Batta Mon LV M De
Five of Okamoto's Batta Mon sculptures are made from fake Louis Vuitton bags. The other four are made from fake Chanel, Gucci, Coach, and Fendi bags.
Batta Mon CC
Batta Mon GC
Batta Mon CC
Batta Mon FD
[Sources: Asahi // Mitsuhiro Okamoto]
otakugirl
It is unusual how handbag materials - both patterns and textures - work well to give a feeling of the insect. I like all of them. As for LV I think their move was just plain stupid.
[]Jesselyn
Man, I would love to buy one of these!
[]JJLuke
Suteki kaban desu ne.
[]I was wondering if they could made a locust-shaped bag for selling it! :)
William
All of the batta look much nicer than the real handbags. I've only just realised though that the LV handbags that were so popular in Tokyo about two-three years ago have gradually disappeared. Good riddance. :)
[]Jupiter
What Tokyo have you been looking at? Everybody has a damn LV bag (or perhaps, imitation).
[]Reed
It's no surprise LV leaping on this -- Japan is one of the few countries that still pays, and pays ridiculously, for authentic product. The illegal bags are just as easy to get online and having bought and sold one authentic wallet each at used bag shops in Tokyo in November 2009 and March 2010, respectively, both for exorbitant sums, it seems the pawn shops buy and sell on the belief that all goods in Japan are authentic -- although LV in particular is infamous for being an easily-replicated brand. LV chain stores are opening up around Japan (most recently in Ikebukuro, 2010) to ensure authenticity and with designs to conduct, not simply contribute to, the ongoing and uniquely Japanese orgy of imported brand consumption.
[]Patricia
That musuem was spineless to cave in so easily. Mattel has lost cases against artists using Barbie dolls for more salacious art so LV didn't have a leg to stand on. Use as an art material is fair use. The artist never hid the fact that the materials were counterfiet product. If anything they should provide the artist with real material to make more of these critters which grow their brand's awareness!
Also, I really like these. As a previous commenter said the texture of the bag works really well. The use of the buttons are eyes is good too.
[]Mike
Wow!!! Lous Viutton has power!!! Bernard Arnault of LVMH is an asshole and a dictator and should go LV himself in the ass.
The artist should make a copy of Bernard out of toilet paper with LV's on it. Vuitton should consider themselves lucky that any artist would even bother with this GAP like brand. These days carrying a LV is just like carrying a Gap bag. No one cares. And whenever you do see one, you think it's fake anyway.
[]sal
Gosh what a dumb move by LV...they should be glad someone's chosen THEIR trademark design to work with, regardless of the counterfeit factor. It'd increase its popularity/awareness (not that the majority of the population doesn't know about it already).
Artists should be free to do whatever for expression. Did LV prefer the artist to use the real material so they could charge a higher price for shows, and thus gather a hefty sum in the process?
[]jenniferbetty
i like it just because it looks like a real one
[]archer
In Kyoto, another fine ãƒãƒƒã‚¿ã‚‚ã‚“ exhibit took place this past spring (2012). Many artisans participated. LV -in their business ineptitude- really helped to spread awareness of this interesting conversation between authentic and knock-off, nature and artifice. Thanks dipshits! Keep up the half-brained work.
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