Singapore | Director Lim Siau Wen quoted in Asia IP cover story on copyright in tattoos

Director Lim Siau Wen was quoted in an Asia IP article that explored the intersection of IP and tattoos. As younger people increasingly embrace tattoos which function as social statements and represent thoughts and feelings, this brings about questions on how or whether to provide protection for tattoo designs.

Siau Wen weighed in that in most cases, the tattoo design process will involve preliminary sketches or drawings. She added, “Provided that such sketches or drawings are original, they would typically be protected as artistic works under the Singapore Copyright Act. It is less clear if a tattoo that is inked onto a body is an artistic work for purposes of the act. There are no provisions in the Singapore Copyright Act which relate specifically to tattoos. Tattoo artists will need to rely on the provisions relating to artistic works.“

You may click here to read the full article that appears on p.10 of the September 2021 issue of Asia IP.