Condoms and Art - Over the line?

I think it's in poor taste, but if everything I thought was in poor taste wasn't allowed to be produced the world would be a pretty boring place. 

There also wouldn't be much to watch on TV.

In order to answer this, I think a definition of "the line" is in order.

I like it. Clever message.

It seems to me the purpose is to encourage people to be responsible with their reproductive system. It's not like the Condom Industry is selling the keychains.

Planned Parenthood is bashed when they perform abortions and bashed when they encourage humans to prevent abortions by using condoms. If more people used condoms, there would be fewer abortions. There would also be fewer cases of HIV infection.

I'm sorry but art, condoms, and warm ocean water all terrorize me.

A more appropriate condom pic would be me handing one to __________.

(fill in the blank.)

But yes Don that's a little over the line. Like by one toke. OK stop it already.

Who owns the image? Isn't the artist  dead? Who's an expert in copyright law, cause I thought that after a certain number of years after an artist dies, his work is available unrestricted for public use.

I think I misspoke when I said I think it's in poor taste.  More accurately, I think it's pointless.  The purpose of this 'art' is to get people to want the keychains, isn't it?  (if it's not then ignore the rest of this).  I don't get what the art used does to help "sell" the keychains.  I'm all in favor of lampooning or adopting great works of art for modern purposes, but I prefer it when it makes sense.  Unless they are targeting homosexual men.  If that's the purpose then maybe it is a good strategy, I don't know.

Now IMHO if they wanted to put great historical art on a condom keychain, it should be the Farrah Fawcett poster.  It would be a lot easier to hold in one hand, too.  If you're a guy over 35 don't even try to claim you don't know what I'm talking about.

Hangloose, so are you suggesting they encourage spilling one's seed instead of fornication, thereby circumventing the need for condoms?

These images are not in the public domain.

So if PPofCT gets sued over this, it may possibly be by SONY.

Not positive about this, but I think it's right.

Wait a second...who said the keychain was art? It's just a clever image used to get a message across.

It's no more art that a "Hang Loose" trucker hat is. 

Huh...I didn't know that. But still...SONY owning it for commercial use. Interesting.

Guess it's OK if it's used to sell a VAIO. 

That's why I put 'art' in quotes like that.  Hey, was that a cheap shot at my screen name?

I shoulda been more precise in the title of this thread.  I meant the word art to refer to the image, not to the keychain.

Well, I don't think SONY owns it, they just have the rights to it. Big difference. At the end of the contract the rights would go back to the Vatican.

And I'm sure that there are stipulations about how the images can be used by SONY.

Again, I don't know the details of this.  Just remembering something I read.

OK...so this is funny. No. Actually it wasn't. Or at least not consciously. That's pretty freaky. When I responded, I didn't even look at your SN.

OK...now I'm gonna go hide in the closet. 

(no comments from you, Possum) 

Jim,

It gets even funnier and you don't know.  I own a trucking company.  I'm not kidding.  Family business since 1901.

www.jfmartin.com

You can stay in the closet all you want (ba dum dum) but don't hide on account of this, I think it's hilarious.

Art from this period, like the Mona Lisa, is in the public domain.  That's why you've seen it on mugs, t shirts, etc.  Painting itself is owned by someone, but its reproduction is not copyright protected.

There are many lines here.  Is it because it's Da Vinci?  Is it because it is a religious painting? Is it because you are against contraception?  Is it because you are against the messenger?  Would Mona Lisa holding a Coke be bad?  Is it becuase it's god in the painting (which, in itself, isn't that presumptuous to paint the face of god?)?  Is it because there may be some gay message?

Not to judge your response, Don, since I am not in your shoes, but these days, you can find someone to be offended by just about anything.  I would bet there's a PP person somewhere right now offended that religion is being used to convey their message....

Holy crap.