There's tons to hate in the Art (capital A) but this is not one of those things.
Similar to High fashion where "stealing" and transformative action is recognized and accepted, in capital A art anything can be capitalized.
For those saying that Roy did not substantially transform the originals: the fact we are having this discussion decades later is proof that it was hugely transformational. Did Roy prevent any of those artists he "stole" from doing what he did?
Copyright is a silly "right" made up by emerging monopolistic hegemons to prevent others from doing what tbey did to achieve emerging hegemon status.
Intellectual "property" is not a real thing. It's not even universal in time or geography.
Similar to High fashion where "stealing" and transformative action is recognized and accepted, in capital A art anything can be capitalized.
For those saying that Roy did not substantially transform the originals: the fact we are having this discussion decades later is proof that it was hugely transformational. Did Roy prevent any of those artists he "stole" from doing what he did?
Copyright is a silly "right" made up by emerging monopolistic hegemons to prevent others from doing what tbey did to achieve emerging hegemon status.
Intellectual "property" is not a real thing. It's not even universal in time or geography.