Reclaim the name (republished).

Last spring, April 15th, I sent following mails and messages:

2.45 PM, to the Austrian artist Franz West:

Dear Franz, I am a 26 year old artist from Finland, living in Malmoe, Sweden. My name is Rasmus Frans Viktor West. I feel there is an obvious connection to you, being our shared names Frans(Franz) and West. This perhaps shouldn´t be a problem hadn´t we both chosen to become artists. As you propably know, there cannot really be two successful artists with the same name. I fear for my future! I propose that you change your surname. You are the more successful and recognized artist of the two of us as yet and you are an established member of the art world so you could be able to change your name and make a big deal out of it (use it as artistic material f.i.). Also, it gives you the opportunity to take whatever name you like (perhaps it is something you have already dreamt of doing?). Please consider my request thoroughly and reply as soon as possible. Yours sincerely, Rasmus Frans Viktor West.

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3 PM, to the Oxford English Dictionary:

Dear Sirs, The English language uses my surname, West, to describe a direction on the compass. To avoid misunderstandings I would like you to change this word in the Oxford English Dictionary. For example, I cannot possibly make hip-hop culture change their use of the term ”west side” unless the OED changes first. My proposition is: change the word west to wast. Wast is but a slight modification of the word west, resembling the word vast which the wastern landscape and the wastern culture is well described with. It derives from the french word vaste which Gaston Bachelard points out as an especially poetic word in his book La poétique de l´espace chapter 8, pages 169-190 (Paris, 1958). The word vaste is to him a great spring of reverie. How appropriate! Make use of the seemingly endless landscapes and daydreams connected to the word vast and change the word west to wast! If wast isn´t a good choice in your opinion, any word will do. Of course, it´s up to you! Please give my proposition serious consideration and reply as soon as possible. Yours sincerely, Rasmus West

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3.05 PM, to Imperial Tobacco (the owner of the West brand):

Dear Imperial Tobacco. You are using my surname on one of your tobacco brands. I wouldn´t mind your wrong-doings had you payed me a share of your profits gained, using my name. I have two propositions, of which you could choose one. 1.You give me a share of your earnings using the ”West” brand. The share could be equivalent to the number of lungcancer cases your tobacco causes each year. I retain the right to do whatever I want with the money, but I can already tell you I will use this money to promote environmental and health issues. 2.You can change the name of your brand. Change to whatever you like, but Id prefer if you didn´t use any of my names. ”Gray” could be a good name. Please consider this request thoroughly at the highest authority within the structures of your company and reply as soon as possible. Yours sincerely, Rasmus West.

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To the Finnish band "the Rasmus" I sent the following letter:

Dear ”The Rasmus”, I don´t fancy that you are using my name for profit. I don´t even get a share of your earnings and yet you use my name publicly. I get bothered often because of this, with frequent requests that I translate your lyrics (to hebrew, german e.t.c.), give autographs, get bullied because of you and so on. I have had this name for 26 years now so I guess I have had it a little bit longer than you. My proposition is that you change the name of your band. Perhaps Lauri could be a nice name? But, thats up to you to decide of course! Consider the effect a change of name would have with the media, you could make a real scoop out of it. Please consider this thoroughly and reply as soon as possible. Yours sincerely, Rasmus West.

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Reply from Oxford English Dictionary:

At 5.35 PM april 15th, I received the following reply:
Dear Mr West, Thank you very much for your e-mail to the Oxford English Dictionary. I am afraid that the OED is a descriptive dictionary and we are not able to change the meanings of words retrospectively. 'West' has been used to mean a direction since Old English times and continues to be used in this sense today. Our job is to reflect how people use the English language, rather than to dictate what a particular word means or should mean. You may be interested to know that 'wast' is actually an old variant spelling of 'west', from the Middle Ages. Thank you once again for writing. Yours sincerely, Fiona McPherson Senior Editor OED.

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Reply from Franz West:

April 19th, 5.03 PM I got the following reply: dear frans west, thank you for your email. please stay cool, in a few year i will retire anyway... best regards, franz west

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Reply from Imperial Tobacco:

Dear Mr West, The West cigarette brand name is owned by Imperial Tobacco. As such it has been registered with the relevant authorities in the countries that the brand is sold. Regards Imperial Tobacco Ltd

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From the finnish band The Rasmus I did not receive a reply.