The Breton artist Xavier Marabout, sued by the Moulinsart company, will know on Monday May 10 if he is convicted of counterfeiting and infringement of Hergé's moral rights while he mixes Tintin and Hopper in his universe, wondering about love of the comic character.
To read also: He offers sensual love to Tintin: an artist sued by Moulinsart for "attacking the moral order"
"
If I was sentenced, I would take it as a loss in terms of freedom of expression,
" Xavier Marabout, 53, an artist based in Auray, in Morbihan, told AFP. "
My whole artistic approach is based on the work of fusion, on humor ... I would feel constrained as an artist
", he added.
If the Moulinsart company claims between 10,000 and 15,000 euros in damages, the beneficiaries ask above all "
the stop of parodying Tintin
", estimates the lawyer of the artist Bertrand Ermeneux.
“
This is a case that goes beyond the single case of Mr. Marabout. The stake is the freedom of creation, artistic and expression
", Specified Me Ermeneux, who will know Monday afternoon the decision of the civil chamber of the judicial court of Rennes.
Tintin in a sexualized universe
In the twenty or so paintings of this Tintin / Hopper series which
sold
"
very well
" according to the artist, we discover the journalist with the puff represented in the famous paintings by Edward Hopper, in a very sexualized universe.
Contacted by AFP, the press service of SA Moulinsart indicated that it made "
no comment on current affairs
".
On the other hand, on the internet, Moulinsart SA claims to be "
exclusive holder throughout the world of all the exploitation rights of Hergé's work and in particular the rights of reproduction, adaptation and representation of Hergé's work (...). Moulinsart SA is the sole holder of the right to use Hergé's work, to combine these elements with other content such as music, sounds, dubbing, titles or subtitles, drawings, photographs, etc.
".
Another French artist, Christophe Tixier, alias Peppone, who sculpted busts inspired by the intrepid journalist, is being sued for forgery by Moulinsart. The decision of the civil court of Marseille will be known on June 17. And in May 2019, Pascal Somon, French designer, was sentenced to ten months suspended imprisonment and two years probation for having counterfeit works of Hergé. He was also forced to pay 32,000 euros in damages to the Belgian company and to Fanny Vlamynck, holder of the rights since Hergé's death in 1983.
