Join BP Lawyers Affinity Group on their meeting!

From Bananas to Bruin Backlash

Art, Free Expression, and the Law

Meet the speaker:

Matthew Swanlund, Esq.

This presentation explores how art defies easy legal definition—and why that matters today. Moving from Brancusi’s fight to have abstract sculpture recognized as “art,” to Jack Dorsey’s viral call to “delete all IP law,” and UCLA’s recent cancellation of grants over speech concerns, we trace the centuries-long tension between creativity and regulation. We’ll examine how constitutional text, customs cases, copyright incentives, and free-speech doctrine treat art differently from ordinary property, and why those legal categories are being stress-tested by culture wars and campus controversies. The session blends vivid case studies with timely flashpoints to show how art remains both law’smost unpredictable challenge and one of its deepest reasons for societal being.

Matthew Swanlund is an art, entertainment and intellectual property business attorney, and founder of Aesthetic Legal (est. 2015), where he represents artists,influencers, designers, entertainers, startup companies, and established creative businesses on issues including copyright and trademark protection, contracts, licensing, business formation, litigation, immigration, and First Amendment.

One hour California CLE credit pending approval.  Special thanks to our CLE provider Quicley LLC.

Time: Thursday, November 20th

12:00 PM - 1:30 PM

Location: Zoom (link given upon registering)

Cost: Free