Artist Justin Bua sues China-based online retailers for copyright infringement

The artist Justin Bua, known for his paintings of hip-hop culture and as an art-world media personality, has filed a federal copyright lawsuit against dozens of China-based online retailers.

The lawsuit, obtained by Urgent Matter, accused each of 50 listed internet stores and marketplace accounts based in China of selling bootleg products that violate his registered copyrights for his works Piano Man IV, The DJ 2 and Funk ‘N Groovin’.

“Bua is an artist whose work is deeply inspired by the nascent moments of hip-hop culture, the underground, the marginalized, and the architects of real culture,” his lawyers wrote in the lawsuit.

The listed defendants bear names like “weixiaotingbaby” and “ChangYuShangMao." They are said to be operating as part of a coordinated effort to profit from Bua’s artwork, targeting buyers in Illinois and across the United States.

The case was filed in the Northern District of Illinois, a venue commonly used by artists and brands pursuing anonymous online sellers because judges there routinely grant temporary restraining orders that freeze storefronts and payment accounts.

Lawyers for Bua said that the internet stores share unique identifiers and design elements which establish a “logical relationship” between them and are going to “great lengths” to avoid liability.

The artist is seeking damages in an amount to be determined at trial.

Bua grew up on the Upper West Side of Manhattan in the 1970s and 1980s and attended the LaGuardia High School of Music & Performing Arts, followed by studies at the Art Students League.

He graduated from the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California, with a degree in painting and he began his career designing skateboards and creating storyboards for the film industry.

By 1992, Bua moved into creating posters and gained recognition his portrayals of hip-hop culture, including DJing, MCing, breakdancing and graffiti.

His career has been marked by major collaborations, including with MTV’s Lyrics Lounge Show, EA Sports for its video games NBA Street and NFL Street, as well as Nike, Comedy Central and the Wu-Tang Clan.

In 2023, German artist Michael Moebius, who was previously awarded $120 million in a default judgment against hundreds of foreign companies, took the Chinese retailer Shein to court.

Much like Bua, Moebius claimed a foreign-based retail network sold bootlegs of his work, showing how artists are increasingly using U.S. courts to pursue overseas infringers.

Follow along with other lawsuits at Urgent Matter's art lawsuit tracker.