"Ai Weiwei Is Suing Volkswagen for Using His Installation of Refugee Life Jackets in an Advertisement"

In Denmark.

"The policy is being made possible by a $10 million donation by the board president, Carolyn Clark Powers."

LA MOCA is going admission free.

So here's a question:  suppose a museum that isn't lucky enough to have a board member like Carolyn Clark Powers could accomplish the same thing by selling a single work of art from its collection.  Would that be worth doing?  If not, why not?

"Under New York law, you better put your blinds down. He’s lucky he wasn’t standing there buck naked."

Breaking:  "Alex Rodriguez ‘Has No Case’ Against Photographer Of Viral Toilet Photo Under Lenient New York Law."

First appearance for A-Rod at the blog, and, I think (but would have to double check), first use of "viral toilet photo."

But not the first appearance of the legal issue it presents.  See here.

"Actor and Artist Val Kilmer Says He Definitely Did Not Steal an Artist’s Idea for a Sculpture, Despite a Lawsuit"

"Texas-based sculptor Bale Creek Allen filed a lawsuit last fall claiming that Kilmer stole his idea for a golden tumbleweed sculpture. Allen, who has been selling his own tumbleweed sculptures for several years through galleries in Texas and New Mexico—including one he runs himself—asserts that that actor knowingly took his concept and copyrighted means of production."

"The infamous Abstract Expressionist forgery ring that rocked the art world is back in the headlines." (UPDATED)

"Last week, a federal judge in Manhattan set a July court date to determine whether Michael Hammer, the former owner of the infamous Knoedler Gallery, which sold tens of millions of dollars worth of fake art, could be held liable for the sales."

UPDATE:  Comments from Nicholas O'Donnell.

"Western Museums Have a Surplus of Art by White Men. Now Some Are Selling It Off to Correct Their Historical Biases"

Tim Schneider on the "growing trend" of deaccessioning-to-diversify.

It's a good thing the works aren't held in the public trust or else this strategy couldn't work.

"They just lost the only ally they ever had. I am going to rip them apart. … I am done being a nice guy with them. They can all go to hell."

Developments in the Robert Indiana litigation.  Background here.

"A High-Profile Impressionist Art Collector Says Wildenstein Sold Him a ‘Clever Fake’ Bonnard—and Now the Courts Will Decide"

Eileen Kinsella has the story here.  The sale took place in 1985, so obviously there's a big statute of limitations issue in play.

"Copyright small-claims court may soon be a reality."

"This week, corresponding bills were introduced in the House and Senate, both with bipartisan support, proposing to establish a tribunal to adjudicate copyright infringement disputes involving claims of $30,000 or less in damages."

The argument against is that it will enable copyright trolls.

"Artists have filed a lawsuit in hopes of preventing the destruction of a mural on the side of an uptown Normal building slated for demolition."

"Under the Visual Artists Rights Act, the suit filed Wednesday asks for an injunction 'prohibiting the destruction, distortion, mutilation or other modification of their artworks.'"

"Since the banner went up, the university and artist have fought over covering it up and the future of the statue, with Lawless saying his First Amendment rights were being violated."

Inside Higher Ed:  University Will Pay Sculptor to Move Anti-Trump Art.  He gets $50,000.

"This surreptitious misappropriation occurred in violation of Peter Max’s specific wishes and the express directives of ALP’s board of directors."

NYT:  Peter Max’s Studio Is Sued by a Longtime Seller of His Art.

Latest street art lawsuit

This time it's Mercedes-Benz suing four artists who they claim "have threatened to sue for copyright infringement."  They're seeking a declaratory judgment of non-infringement:

"The legal action revolves around photos posted on Mercedes-Benz’s Instagram profile in January 2018 (that have since been deleted) promoting the automaker’s luxury sports utility vehicle, the Mercedes G 500. The images were shot in Detroit’s Eastern Market, which has become widely known for its Murals in the Market initiative, and where the defendants all had murals. In its lawsuit, Mercedes-Benz ... claimed that its images 'fundamentally transformed the visual aesthetic and meaning' of the murals."

Sergio Muñoz Sarmiento is "curious if Mercedes Benz will take this all the way or bow out in settlement. We’ve said before that this legal issue is ripe for courts to answer, so why not now?"

Cert. Denied in California Resale Royalty Case

Story [$] here.  Background here.