The foundation that oversees the legacy of Joan Mitchell has instructed lawyers following the alleged unauthorised use of the American abstract painter’s work in a Louis Vuitton advertising campaign.
The foundation told the New York Times it was approached twice by the fashion brand to use the paintings as a backdrop to sell a range of handbags. On the second occasion a representative for the company emphasised it was a personal request from Bernard Arnault, owner of LVMH, the parent company. The foundation refused on the grounds that it never licenses use of the work for anything other than educational purposes.
Mitchell is currently the subject of an exhibition at Fondation Louis Vuitton, the private art space of Arnault, in which works hang alongside those of Claude Monet. Despite the estate’s refusal, a shoot was organised at the exhibition – for print and digital adverts – with actor Léa Seydoux posing with the $10,500 bags in front of works including Quatuor II for Betsy Jolas (1976) and Le Grand Valée XIV (For a Little While) (1983), both part of the Centre Pompidou collection, and Edrita Fried (1981), a work retained by the estate.
In a statement the estate said: ‘As an artist-endowed foundation dedicated to stewarding Mitchell’s work and legacy, [Joan Mitchell Foundation] carefully manages how images of the artist’s work are used in accordance with its mission. It is a grave disappointment to JMF that Louis Vuitton has such disregard for the rights of an artist and would exploit her work for financial gain.’
‘If Louis Vuitton does not promptly halt this campaign and cease the illegal use of Mitchell’s artworks, JMF will promptly take further legal action to address this matter.’
Louis Vuitton has refused to comment to the media but in a video appearing on the page for the La Capucines bags, the model is shown only walking around a gallery containing a Monet painting.
