this is not a bitching session, this is an awareness campaign.
once upon a time there was a girl that used to work for us.
dadaadaaa.........daaaaaaa............dam.
she learned stuff from us,
she started her own company and started reproducing some of our things.
i do not want our work to be confused with hers. hell no.
i have not known what to do about it the whole of last year,
but i decided that i will not keep quiet about it any more.
even though i hate her guts, i do not wish for her any bad things, i wish for her good things like a little bit of imagination and maybe some original thinking brain cells.
i wish for her some moral fiber and a good ethical code to live by.
sometimes things are black and white and sometimes they are grey.
these things are mostly subjective.
i have chosen to speak about it cause i believe its just too close for comfort and mainly i don't want people to think that her work is our work.
the thought is devastating.
slitting your wrists kinda stuff.
bare with me.....
here are some of the spoons we have cut-out in the past. . . .
this is pendant i made especially for Wolves Cafe, when we first started supplying them.....
oh shit, shock horror, look what i bumped into the other day!
i couldn't believe my frikkin eyes....
i have tried to make sense of this and i just can't understand how anybody that worked for us would think that this is cool/acceptable in any way. it makes no sense to me.
i'm still trying to figure out how i feel about it. besides all the obvious emotions like disgust, hurt, anger, etc, etc. it leaves me rather confused. the jewellery industry in Cape Town is really really small....is she just a little bit daft, or does she really not get it?
email me at skermunkil@gmail.com if you would like to know who this person is. also please comment if you have advice about how to deal with these kinds of situations.....
Oh my word! that is just terrible! she's like the chinese! they take an awesome thing, fuck it up a little and the sell it for cheaper than the real thing! ...and sadly there are so many stupid people out there that fall for the fake stuff:(
ReplyDeleteNot being nasty, but yours looks a million times better than the copycats. I can't believe that there are shameless people like that out there!
ReplyDeleteAnd don't you think this is actually blatant theft? She is afterall taking your ideas?
Gosh!!!!! How absolutely disgusting & unethical of her!!! But - It screams knock off - There is big difference between the quality, yours look way better!!
ReplyDeleteKeep up the excellent work xx
vivI.Iviv
What an absolutely horrible thing to have to deal with. Have you spoken to her about it? (Or emailed - that would obviously be easier.)You have plenty of evidence that she's copied you, so the first thing to do would be to demand that she stops producing these knock-offs.
ReplyDeleteI am so horrified someone would be that blatant about stealing intellectual copyright and you should definitly address the issue with her. she needs to know its not cool to do this!
ReplyDeletehers looks like shit. you could sue her for infringing on your rights as the creator of the works of craftmanship,
ReplyDelete'For a work to be eligible for copyright, it must be original, and it must have been written down or recorded in some way (except for broadcasts and programme-carrying signals, which must have been broadcast or transmitted, respectively). "Originality" requires the work to have been produced by the exercise of skill and effort by the author(s).[5] As in all Berne Convention countries, copyright is automatic and does not require registration.' (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copyright_law_of_South_Africa)
or you could send her a formal letter in writing advising her to refrain from plagiarism otherwise legal action will be taken.
original people will always experience disrespect and jealousy from the lesser talented pathetic excuses of human beings. if you want to prevent this from happening in the future, you could make an example of her.
the legal route is probably really stressful and expensive, but if i were you i would definitely publicly release her name.
furthermore, the shops stocking her stuff should know better and are just as guilty (EVERYONE in the design/craft industry in south africa, let alone cape town, knows what you do).
but, in the end, karma will sort her out.
PS - i really thought this post was going to be about cats!!! ;)
ReplyDeletehi guys, thanks for the words of encouragement. jesse, i emailed her many months ago and she just never replied. i actually don't think she gets it at all....something is missing in her way of thinking, its the only way i can make sense of it. i really really don't ever want to talk to her again....,(she even house sat for us and looked after our dog....the thought of it creeeps me out now)but i really want people to know about this!!!!
ReplyDeletegrace, you are hilarious. i do not know enough about our cat friends to do a post on them. if you have cats, i think you should, its a great idea.
ReplyDeletealso, thanks for your fiery words. i like'em a lot!!!
Im so glad you are posting about this and starting a discussion.
ReplyDeleteI always have find it sad that some people in the creative industry can be so totally "uncreative".. perhaps its insecurity?
there is a big difference between using a reference / being inspired by something and blatant copying.
your work is great and of high quality and I do not think anyone who has ever own or seen a Skermunkil piece will confuse this with the stuff you make.
Inge
ps. copy cats are everywhere. .. they KNOW they are doing wrong.. and they should know that people do notice stuff like this
http://ingeborgcyborg.blogspot.com/2010/11/copycats_513.html
Not sure how you're feeling about this now, but it might make you feel slightly better to submit this to You Thought We Wouldn't Notice http://youthoughtwewouldntnotice.com/blog3/
ReplyDeleteWho is she? kairaine(at)gmail(dot)com - just read you opening an on-line shop. Bloodyhallelujah, i am super excited!
ReplyDeleteHoly crap friend, for real?!
ReplyDeleteLike you said, the industry is small, how did the maker of that piece think you wouldn't notice. Tell me who it is so we never stock her at Wolves.
x
beautiful pendants
ReplyDelete/Taru from World Tour Stories - two lovers sailing around the world
Horrid...beyond HORRID! I just sent you an email.x
ReplyDeletethis makes me so sad, like you say the jewellery industry is so small. The same thing has happened to me in Durban and I've taken the ostrich approach :( Good luck friend x
ReplyDelete