What started as a good deed for a Miami-Dade school has turned into a legal battle. On one side: eight street artists who donated their talent to paint striking murals at Jose de Diego, a struggling middle school in Wynwood. On the other: Rich Wilkerson, Jr., the handsome celebrity pastor who married Kim Kardashian and Kanye West. The two sides had been negotiating until Wednesday, when the mostly Miami-based artists filed a federal lawsuit in Miami saying their work at the school was used — without their permission — to advertise Wilkerson’s new church.
They are asking to be paid licensing and attorney’s fees. “Artists have the right to choose the companies and brands with whom they work,” said Andrew Gerber, a New York attorney representing the artists. “It is critical for artists to maintain control over these things.” Church representatives did not return requests for comment. Artists from around the world donated their talent during Art Basel 2014 to cover Jose de Diego Middle school in massive murals, bridging the gap between the public school and the vibrant art scene that surrounds it in Wynwood. One mural features the curious eyes of a child peering out. Another shows a dancer leaping into the air and wearing a colorful dress. Another oozes with color that drips all the way to ground.
Source: www.miami.com
