The New York Times brings us the story of a business in Ohio that is turning mug shots from the 1950s into prints, posters, notebooks and tote bags (what, no mugs?). The mug shots have traveled from a county sheriff's department in California, to a flea market, to an antiques dealer in Nevada, to two enterprising artists in Ohio, who digitally enhanced the images and removed identifying information.
Noting that the legal issues are unclear, the story asks the hard questions:
Should there be privacy protection for the subjects, as well as safeguards to the way public agencies dispose of potentially embarrassing “hard copies” of records, in an age known for using digital technology to recycle found images into art? And, even when it is not the intent, does finding a new use for material like an old mug shot amount to profiting off someone else’s ancient misfortune?
Vintage Mug Shot Poster from Larken Design.
