NORFOLK, Va. (AP) -- A Virginia artist has admitted to copying and selling works by other artists.
Norfolk artist Rashidi Barrett posted an apology on his website and on Facebook over the weekend after a Harrisonburg blog, OldSouthHigh.com, broke the news. Barrett told The Virginian-Pilot (http://bit.ly/YAISTk ) in a story published Tuesday he copied other pieces after getting a bad review of his work while facing deadlines for new shows.
Barrett has exhibited in numerous galleries, including the Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art in Virginia Beach.
Barrett says he'll reimburse galleries that sold his paintings, ranging between $80 and $1,000.
Image theft is more prominent in the pop surrealism, or Lowbrow, style because that art scene engages extensively on the Internet. The underground movement uses imagery from graphic novels, punk music, tattoo and other subcultures.
