Designers "Inspired"

Bob Caruthers assembled a collection of pieces to compare side by side, the original and the modern version. Sometimes it's on purpose, sometimes not. Shepard Fairey's work is featured in this set, as well as a number of concert posters for very popular acts.

Seeing original work put next to 'new design' this way makes me wonder how designers think they can get away with stuff like this? How come they are getting paid large sums of money to produce this kind of work? Do the clients know about this? If it is a direct reference does the original artist (if still alive) or copyright holder get royalties? Some cases yes, some no.

Appropriating artwork is in itself a delicate form of art with very few masters; Andy Warhol, Barbara Kruger, Yasumasa Morimura. To do it properly the artist needs to take the original piece and reuse it in a way that the image reminds the viewer of it's primary intent while putting into the modern context desired by the artist.

This is a very tough subject for me. As I artist/designer I don't think I could produce a piece like this for a client and feel good about it, even if it was in homage. I have been inspired by pieces from the past, but I don't look to copy or reproduce in such a way as to blur the line between inspiration and theft. If I were to do something like this it would probably be an accident, possibly referring to an image I saw once an vaguely remembered.