Topic: Freddie Mercury gorilla 'must go'!

[Simon]

A gorilla sculpture, painted as musician Freddie Mercury, has been removed after a copyright complaint.

Organisers of Go Go Gorillas, a public art trail in Norwich, were contacted by Queen's manager Jim Beach on behalf of the Freddie Mercury estate.

The estate claimed the suit "worn" by the gorilla breached copyright.

It asked the Freddie "Radio Go Go" Gorilla sculpture, which Norfolk artist Mik Richardson took three days to create, to be "taken off the streets".

The sculpture was removed from Millennium Plain, outside The Forum, at 11:00 BST.

Mr Richardson, 50, of Aylsham, Norfolk, said the decision to order its removal was "absolutely shocking".

He said: "It's dreadful. It's petty, really. The night I was told I couldn't sleep."

Mr Richardson was paid £800 to design and paint the gorilla.

"I'm a mural artist and I have to be very careful about copyright," he said.

"I didn't copy the suit exactly. I alter enough so that it's fan art, rather than a copy of it.

Freddie "Radio Go Go" Gorilla on Millennium Plain, Norwich The Go Go Gorilla suit was an homage to the one worn by Freddie Mercury

The "Radio Go Go" gorilla is one of 53 life-size gorillas decorated by Norfolk artists and displayed on the streets of Norwich over the summer.

An additional 67 baby gorillas, painted at local schools, made up the 120-strong public art trail.

The Freddie Mercury estate contacted Wild in Art, the company that supplied the gorilla glass-fibre canvases, according to director Charlie Langhorne.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-norfolk-23226366