London Court Rules in Favor of Iceland’s Largest Fishing Firm in Artistic Expression Dispute
In a landmark judgment, London’s high court ruled that the property rights of Samherji, Iceland’s largest fishing company, outweigh the artistic freedom of Icelandic artist Oddur Eysteinn Friðriksson, known as Odee. The dispute arose after Odee created a satirical work in 2023 titled We’re Sorry, which spoofed the company’s website to spotlight its alleged involvement in a major corruption scandal.
Odee’s artwork mimicked Samherji’s corporate branding and featured a fabricated apology under the headline “Samherji Apologizes, Pledges Restitution and Cooperation with Authorities.” The statement referred to the notorious Fishrot Files scandal, which came to light in 2019. Documents revealed by WikiLeaks and investigations by Icelandic media alleged that Samherji had bribed officials in Namibia to secure lucrative trawling rights.
Samherji argued that the spoof infringed on its intellectual property rights, damaging its reputation and misleading the public. Meanwhile, Odee defended his work as a form of artistic expression aimed at raising awareness about corporate corruption.
The court sided with Samherji, stating that the artist’s use of the company’s branding crossed the line between satire and intellectual property infringement. The judgment highlighted the need to balance creative freedom with the legal protections granted to corporate entities.
This decision underscores the ongoing debate around the intersection of artistic expression and corporate rights, especially when art is used as a tool for social or political critique.
