Intellectual Property
Oct. 16, 2025
Banksy and the right of integrity
Banksy's mural at London's Royal Courts of Justice highlights the complex legal landscape of the Visual Artists Rights Act, which grants authors of recognized visual art the 'right of integrity' to prevent destruction or alteration of their works, creating potential liability for building owners even when artworks are installed without permission.
One morning in London, a Banksy painting appeared on the wall of the Queen's Building in England's Royal Courts of Justice complex. For a brief period last month, Sept. 8 to be exact, Banksy's mural depicted a protester lying on his back, holding a blank blood-spattered sign being beaten by the gavel of a bewigged judge.
Even though Banksy's works can be worth millions of dollars, the painting was immediately covered and removed because the court is "le...
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