Bahamian artist says Elk Grove is copying his heart swing sculpture
A Bahamian artist contends Elk Grove Village is improperly copying an original art installation of his, and he wants proper credit for it.
While village officials acknowledge the inspiration for their own interactive heart-shaped swing came from the work of Antonius Roberts, they say, legally, everything is on the up-and-up.
Roberts and his North Carolina-based agent learned of Elk Grove Village Mayor Craig Johnson's plans to install the 12-foot-tall decorative swing in an April 17 Daily Herald report. Johnson saw Roberts' heart sculpture and swing outside the Atlantis Paradise Island resort on his most recent trip to the Bahamas for the village's sponsorship of the Makers Wanted Bahamas Bowl.
Roberts' representative, Hannah Blanton of Sozo Gallery in Charlotte, wrote in an email to the mayor and village board that she was "shocked/heartbroken" about their proposal to copy Roberts' concept.
In the April 22 email, also sent to the Daily Herald, Blanton requested village leaders contact Roberts to create a heart swing like the one in the Bahamas or, if not, offer him a copyright or licensing fee.
Concerns over Elk Grove's swing were also raised by officials of the hotel resort.
"The thought of your community taking his original idea which encompasses community and love and replicating it is distasteful, disrespectful and in my arts industry opinion - unethical," Blanton wrote in the email to Johnson. "I am hopeful that this was a complete oversight, and from the research I have done on who you are as humankind and a community leader, it was."
In a letter sent to Blanton Friday, Johnson wrote it was never his intention to replicate Roberts' work, and that the new swing being made by Elk Grove-based Rebechini Studios wouldn't have the same shape or dimensions.
And, Johnson added, there are numerous heart swings throughout the United States.
"The inspiration came from it, but we didn't replicate his product," Johnson said after consulting with copyright lawyers. He suggested a plaque recognizing Roberts could be installed near the Elk Grove art piece if Roberts and Blanton would like.
Though the village board last week approved payment of $33,666 to Rebechini, the local studio has been working on the sculpture since January and it is almost done, Johnson said. He wants it to be in place when the village's summer concert series starts in July.