The son of a late art dealer has sued his uncle, claiming the man refuses to return an Andy Warhol portrait of his late mother. Via Courthouse News.

This is another interesting free speech case, where the United Northern & Southern Knights of the Ku Klux Klan are arguing that distributing leaflets containing their beliefs is not littering, but leafleting,  an act usually protected by the First Amendment. In its defense, the Klan cites Indiana Code § 35-45-3-2, which, in part, defines “Refuse” as “solid and semisolid wastes, dead animals, and offal.”

The Klan is being represented by the ACLU in Indianapolis Federal Court. Via Courthouse News.

Yuma, Arizona’s The Vertical Church is causing a bit of controversy. The Church has designated a free-standing wall along the north edge of the property as the Art Wall,specifically to promote “a form of ministry.” But not just anything can be posted or painted on the wall. A sign posted above the mural invites people to express themselves artistically, with the only requirement being that they not use profanity or gang images.

However, Yuma has an ordinance that expressly bans graffiti, arguing that even the sign posted above the wall also is a violation of city ordinances.

For being an Obama “illuminati” and a “Yankee hipster.” The Danish didn’t respond well to Fairey’s attempt to play politics and art. Ok, so Obama and most of Europe bought into it; the Danes didn’t.

Authenticity disputes are never pretty — particularly when they involve works that are worth hundreds of thousands of dollars — but a debate over a contested Robert Motherwell painting has exploded into a truly head-spinning tangle of claims and counterclaims.

Via Artinfo.

Daniel Grant on artists’ duties regarding restoration of sold artwork, and whether or not collectors get what they paid for.

Art & Law Residency Program

Program Goal
The Art & Law Residency provides an intellectual and artistic setting for participants to engage in ongoing discussions and debates that examine the overlap and disconnect between artistic production and the law from historical, social, ethical and intellectual standpoints. Using law as both a discourse and medium, new visual artwork and critical writing will come into being through the Program. All the participants will also gain experience and knowledge they can carry into the future beyond the Program.

Overview
The core of the Program will be semi-monthly Seminars directed at the examination of current art and law issues. Seminars will take place at the law firm of Morrison & Foerster LLP. Faculty as well as leading legal scholars and visiting artists will lead these Seminars. During the course of the Program, artists and writers will develop new projects and papers and receive support from Faculty on a regular basis to discuss and address the aesthetic, practical, philosophical, legal and judicial aspects of their work. The Residency will culminate in a public Exhibition and a Symposium held in New York City where artists will exhibit their projects and writers will present papers. Curators will work with The Residency curator in conceptualizing and organizing The Residency exhibition. For a list of the 2010 and 2011 Fellows and their Bios please click here.

Program Provides:

1. Seminars: Twice a month, a legal scholar, artist or Program Faculty will lead Seminars as well as assign related readings. Topics for lectures and group discussions will include practical, theoretical, philosophical and speculative perspectives on art and law.

2. Legal consultation and representation: Access to private consultations with attorneys and work with assigned pro bono representation for individual projects as required. Additional legal advice and guidance in the form of individual meetings to discuss general practical and theoretical questions may be arranged.

3. Studio Visits and Mentoring: Visual artists will benefit from studio visits by visiting artists and curators. Writers will be assigned a mentor to help with the conceptualization and development of their papers.

4. Exhibition and Symposium: Writers will present papers at an evening Symposium and visual artists will exhibit their final work in an exhibition. Curators will work with The Residency curator in conceptualizing and organizing The Residency exhibition. Curators will also write a 2,000 word essay about The Residency exhibition. A modest stipend will be provided towards production costs and/or research materials.

5. Van Lier Fellowships: VLA is pleased to announce that the residency will offer Van Lier Fellowships in its second and third years which VLA administers on behalf of the Van Lier Fund of the New York Community Trust. Van Lier Fellowships are made possible with the generous support of the New York Community Trust’s Edward and Sally Van Lier Fund.

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