How can I prevent unauthorised use of images of my work that are published on the Internet?
One practical safeguard is to keep images of your work on the Internet in low resolution, as this generally makes them unsuitable for…
The Way Forward?
‘Any government, whatever its political line, should take some active steps to encourage the arts. The task of a Minister for the Arts is to help to create and preserve a framework within which the arts can…
Originality
Last year’s Turner Prize controversy was pure artlaw territory and deserves closer examination. It concerned one of four short listed artists, Glenn Brown and his large canvas Loves of Shepherds, 2000. Full colour reproductions of the work were splashed…
Commissioning an Artist
Commissioning an artist to create a work is one of the earliest forms of art activity and one of the most obvious legal relationships an artist enters into: a commission agreement is a contract by which the…
Parliamentary Report: The Market for Art
The introduction into UK law from January 2006 of the Artists’ Resale Right saw a flurry of activity and media coverage early in 2005 including newspaper articles, radio programmes, letters to national newspaper editors,…
Is there Life after Art School?
The cuts in part time art school teaching is one of the most myopic acts of vandalism ever committed by the establishment in recent years: shortsighted it surely is. The custom of inviting practising…
The Artist’s Resale Right Regulations 2006
On December 15 2005, the final draft of the Artist’s Resale Right Regulations 2006 were placed before parliament by the UK government for approval by resolution of each House of Parliament, with the aim…
Vexing Art Toll?
VAT is an accountancy nightmare but, handled properly, can be turned to good advantage – even for artists. Myths abound; perhaps they can be dispelled. Let’s try. Every artist should ask the following questions: Do I carry…
Nothing is Forever
It seems that the number of artists whose works suffer minor indignities or major censorship at the hands of the powerful will continue to increase until kingdom come. But nothing, as Pat Lally observed, is forever. Pat…
Appropriation
On March 5, 2005, in central London two separate events took place: each focused on artlaw and different ways of appropriating the law into the form and content of artists’ works. The first was jointly organised by the Interdisciplinary…
Artists Resale Right
Half a dozen pieces over three decades mark the progress of artists' resale royalty right legislation in Europe, California and the UK. A campaign by artists lobbying for the introduction of this economic right in the UK…
International Foundation for Art Research: IFAR
The Internet continues to advance and develop the provision of high quality, free access information. IFAR is one such excellent and authoritative resource, for current and historical information about art business throughout the world.…
An American in Florence: restoring the moral balance
Professor James Beck, Professor of Art History at Columbia University, prosecuted for the fourth time for criminal libel in an Italian Court, has been acquitted. Restorer Gianni Caponi brought the four actions…
Court Cases
It is unusual for there to be a sufficient number of artlaw cases to report between Issues, but this month there is a wealth of them. Duchamp’s urinals In 1998 a French artist, Pierre Pinoncelli, committed criminal damage…
When selling work for reproduction, how can I protect my copyright?
What can I do to ensure that any prints clearly record my signature and details of the work? As part of your copyright in the work, you have moral…
Displaying Student Work
Now that the annual round of degree shows is completed, one particular issue has been very prevalent this season and remains an unclear and often challenging area. Showing students’ artworks to the public can and sometimes does…
One of us must know something (Sooner or Later)
A large brown envelope. It arrived during the summer and had something from the Arts Council of Great Britain about data protection inside. If you or your organisation holds any information…
Where can I find lists of studio providers?
The main Artquest website has a whole section devoted to artists’ studio providers, including contact details and website links.