Art@Law | Constantine Cannon
Europe
After 75 years and 15 claims, a bid to regain lost art inches forward: The judge presiding over perhaps the longest-running art restitution dispute had not been born when the family of Baron Mor Lipot Herzog, one of Hungary’s most prominent bankers, filed a claim in Budapest in 1945 for a collection of 2,500 artworks, Renaissance furniture and tapestries.
16.10.2020, The New York Times: After 75 years and 15 claims, a bid to regain lost art inches forward
Germany to create central digital platform for museum objects acquired in colonial context: Germany’s 16 states, the federal government and local municipalities have agreed on a joint digital strategy to list and publish online objects in museum collections that were acquired in a colonial context.
15.10.2020, The Art Newspaper: Germany to create central digital platform for museum objects acquired in colonial context
Three activists who tried to remove a 19th-century African artwork from the Quai Branly museum in Paris have been convicted: A Paris court has convicted the Congolese activist Mwazulu Diyabanza and two others after they attempted to remove a 19th-century funeral pole from the Musée du quai Branly in Paris as a protest against France’s role in plundering African heritage sites during the colonial era.
14.10.2020, Artnet: Three activists who tried to remove a 19th-century African artwork from the Quai Branly museum in Paris have been convicted
Chinese interference derails Genghis Khan exhibition in France: A museum in Nantes, France, has postponed an exhibition on the 13th-century Mongol emperor Genghis Khan, claiming that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) attempted to censor its narrative.
14.10.2020, The Art Newspaper: Chinese interference derails Genghis Khan exhibition in France
United States
Hershey, artist settle trademark dispute over ‘Kill Kat’ toy art: Hershey Co. and artist Andrew Bell settled a dispute over the alleged misuse of Hershey’s trademarks in connection with his “Kill Kat” and “Kisses of Death” designer art toys, according to a filing in Brooklyn federal court.
16.10.2020, Bloomberg Law: Hershey, Artist Settle Trademark Dispute Over ‘Kill Kat’ Toy Art
Brooklyn museum continues deaccessioning spree: No doubt spurred on by the tremendous success of its first deaccession sale, which saw the institution reap $5.4 million ($6.6 million with fees), an amount considerably beyond its expectations, the Brooklyn Museum is planning another deaccessioning round. On the block this time will be works by Degas, Dubuffet, Matisse, Miró, and Monet.
16.10.2020, Artforum: Brooklyn museum continues deaccessioning spree
16.10.2020, The Art Market Monitor: Brooklyn Museum to sell Monet, Miro, Degas and more at Sotheby’s in second deaccesioning round
16.10.2020, The Art Newspaper: Brooklyn Museum steams ahead on deaccessioning
Former Baltimore Museum trustees decry institution’s plans to sell $65 M. in art: Former trustees at the Baltimore Museum of Art have called for an investigation into the Maryland institution’s plans to deaccession $65 million in art from its holdings at Sotheby’s this fall. Their claims were voiced in a letter sent to Maryland’s secretary of state John C. Wobensmith and its attorney general Brian E. Frosh on October 14.
15.10.2020, Art News: Former Baltimore Museum trustees decry institution’s plans to sell $65 M. in art
13.10.2020, The Art Newspaper: Baltimore Museum of Art curators respond to deaccessioning criticism
16.10.2020, The Art Newspaper: Former trustees and donors ask state to block sale of three important works by the Baltimore Museum of Art
Museum inquiry into whistle-blower complaint finds no misconduct: The Detroit Institute of Arts said last Wednesday that a three-month review of a whistle-blower complaint against its director and board chair found they had not skirted conflict of interest rules when the museum borrowed a $5 million El Greco painting owned by the director’s father-in-law.
14.10.2020, The New York Times: Museum inquiry into whistle-blower complaint finds no misconduct
15.10.2020, Art News: Investigation at Detroit Institute of Arts finds no misconduct on part of leaders
14.10.2020, The Art Newspaper: Inquiry into actions by Detroit Institute of Arts director and board chair found no misconduct, museum says
World
A copyright dispute ensnares the Aboriginal flag: Australia’s government has officially adopted the flag, but its design is still owned by the man who created it, Harold Thomas, an Aboriginal artist. He conceived it in the 1970s as a banner for the campaign to allow Aboriginals to reclaim their traditional lands. The image was reproduced fairly freely until 2018, when he sold exclusive rights to its use on apparel and “digital and physical media products” to wam Clothing, a private firm.
17.10.2020, The Economist: A copyright dispute ensnares the Aboriginal flag
Morocco recovers 25,500 rare archaeological pieces seized in France in 2005 – 2006: Nearly 25,500 rare archaeological pieces relating mainly to the prehistorical and paleontology era, which were seized by French Customs in 2005 and 2006, were returned to Morocco last Thursday.
16.10.2020, The North Africa Post: Morocco recovers 25,500 rare archaeological pieces seized in France in 2005 – 2006
16.10.2020, Le Journal des Arts: La France remet au Maroc près de 25 000 objets archéologiques pillés
Inhotim cannot use works from its collection to pay off founder’s debt, judge rules: The judge Bárbara Heliodora Quaresma Bomfim announced the decision on 8 October, stating that the agreement, which was approved by Paz and the state of Minas Gerais in 2016, is “illegal and null and void” as it does not prioritise the public interest. The works are “inseparable from private property”, she says.
14.10.2020, The Art Newspaper: Inhotim cannot use works from its collection to pay off founder’s debt, judge rules
Steal and repeat: why art gets stolen time and again: When works of art are taken multiple times, it is often more about criminal prestige or bargaining chips for reducing prison sentences
13.10.2020, The Art Newspaper: Steal and repeat: why art gets stolen time and again
Coronavirus: Iraq’s heritage sites suffer renewed wave of looting amid pandemic: Iraq’s feted archaeological sites, in the heart of ancient Mesopotamia, are sadly all too familiar with looters, having been irresistible targets for theft over the centuries. But this year, with resources to protect these sites diverted by authorities having to deal with a struggling economy, social unrest and the coronavirus pandemic, looting has picked up once more. 12.10.2020, The Middle East Eye: Coronavirus: Iraq’s heritage sites suffer renewed wave of looting amid pandemic
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