The painting: "La vie Immobile du Violon" - Still Life of Violin. The Artist: RB McGrath 2006. In February of 2012 the image of this painting was pirated from the artist's web site, rbmcgrath.com , by a Chinese wall art manufacturer in Xiamen, China (Mainland) for mass reproduction and counterfeit sales worldwide. In addition to pirating and counterfeiting the image the Chinese manufacturer is using McGrath's original photo image and the artist's signature to advertise the sale of knock offs via five different advertising platforms around the globe.
In March of 2012 the incident caught the attention of the media resulting in a slew of television and print stories surrounding the copyright and IPR theft of McGrath's work. The artist was contacted by the Washington D.C. office of former Congressman Tim Griffin (R-AR), now Lt. Governor of Arkansas, who launched an inquiry into the matter. Congressman Griffin arranged a conference with representatives of several Washington based agencies including the U.S. Copyright Office, the IPR Division of the USCO and the International Trade Association. McGrath was invited to present the case of the theft of this artwork before the conference. Congressman Griffin personally visited the McGrath studio in Jacksonville, Arkansas on November 8, 2013.
McGrath's battle against the foreign manufacturer is ongoing and is now the subject of a documentary film by Independent Filmmaker Keith Hudson. The documentary is still in production. The filmmakers recently completed on camera interviews for the film with Mayor Gary Fletcher of Jacksonville, AR, Musician and Philanthropist Dr. Alan Storeygard, Philanthropist Joan Tyler Zumwalt and former Congressman Tim Griffin. Shooting is still taking place at the McGrath studio in Arkansas and plans are in the works for Hudson's crew to film in China in September of 2015. The documentary titled "Digital Peruggias" is scheduled to premier in 2016. Lt. Governor Tim Griffin is still pushing forward on the issues of Copyright and IPR theft and it's effects on the U.S. economy.
It is estimated that the Chinese manufacturer has sold as many as 570,000 counterfeit copies of Still Life of Violin worldwide. The original painting, now on exhibit at the RB McGrath Atelier et Galarie in Jacksonville, Arkansas, is now valued at $1.5 million . www.rbmcgrath.com
RB McGrath's original image of "La vie Immobile du Violon" - Still Life of Violin. The original painting is 24x30". Oil on stretched canvas and depicts an 1897 Antonius Stradivarius hanging on a peg board wall and reflected in a glass counter top, signed lower front right and is currently on view at the RB McGrath Atelier et Galarie in Jacksonville, AR. The original work is valued at $1.5 million.
Congressman Tim Griffin (R-AR) visited the RB McGrath Atelier et Galarie in Jacksonville, AR on 11.08.2013. In March of 2012 Griffin launched an inquiry on behalf of McGrath in response the the piracy and counterfeit sales of McGrath's work by a Chinese wall art manufacturer. http://www.rbmcgrath.com/News_from_the_Studio_2013.html
NBC affiliate KARK News stories from 3.28.2012 and 11.28.2012
Congressman Tim Griffin speaks on camera in the second segment.
Jessica Dean and Marci Manley reporting.
