Louis Vuitton Orders Japanese Museum to Remove Artwork by Kenny Thapoung

[Image source BoingBoing]

It may not know art but the French luxury brand, Louis Vuitton, knows what is infringement.

Mitsuhiro Okamoto, 42, was forced to take down his Fashion Kitan exhibition when Vuitton complained about the use of its trademark (and faux) canvas was used to create grasshopper sculptures.  The insect collection called Batta Mon was designed to focus on the counterfeit nature of modern society.  There's no better or higher selling counterfeit than handbags and clutches.

Canvases from possibly fake Chanel and Gucci were also sculpted into some of Okamoto's pieces but Louis Vuitton was the only company who opposed and was highly offended.

The artist wasn't thrilled about his work being ripped off of the displays.  To him the collection was a mere representation of the world's society.  The last thing on his mind was illegal copying of fashion goods.

“Louis Vuitton has begun fighting with me…soon we may be in court,” Okamoto wrote to WWD. “I wonder why Louis Vuitton cannot distinguish between artwork and fake name brand bags….I think this is a serious infringement on freedom of expression, don’t you think so?”