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No L<em>O</em>VE Between Indiana And Former Business Partner
By
Jen Carlson
Published Apr 5, 2010
Modified Apr 5, 2010
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By
Jen Carlson
Published Apr 5, 2010
Modified Apr 5, 2010
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Pop artist Robert Indiana—best know for his LOVE statue, which was created in 1964 for a Christmas card for the Museum of Modern Art—is deep in a not-so-lovely court battle. According to the NY Post, his former business partner John Gilbert claims the artist signed an agreement three years ago which allowed him to license sculptures and other pieces bearing the word "prem" (Sanskrit for "love") in his iconic style.
Allegedly after getting paid around $55K, Indiana reneged on the deal, denying the pieces created weren't authentic. This led to the cancellation of auctions at both Sotheby's and Christie's, and according to Gilbert's breach of contract suit, kept him from "meeting [his] obligations under current contracts and jeopardized prospective contractual agreements with numerous third parties."
Indiana, now 81 years old, has filed a counter-suit for alleged violations of trademark law, stating that never signed an agreement. He also wants these photos of him and Gilbert hanging with the "prem" pieces to vanish from the internet.
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Jen Carlson
Jen Carlson is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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