Legal Question in Business Law in New York

Rights to reproduction of my own artwork

In the 1960s & 70s I created witty sculptures that were sold through several galleries in NYC. I have come across excellent color slides of that work, all of which were sold long ago, and want to create a picture book of them. The galleries have since gone out of business and no records of sales or buyers can be located. I never had their names given me. Question: do I have the right now to reproduce pictures of those works by me in book form without permission from current individual owners wherever they may be? Thank you


Asked on 11/30/06, 12:33 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys
David Simon Hogan & Rossi

Re: Rights to reproduction of my own artwork

What an interesting question. I don't know of any reason why you would not be able to use the pictures. They are your pictures, and they were taken before the artwork was sold, and you own the pictures and the rights to them. It's not as if you are attempting to seek monetary gain off of pictures of any individuals, or that you are going into people's homes to take pictures of the art without their permission.

When you labled the subject line 'reproduction of artwork' that is not entirely accurate. What you seek to do is reproduce the pictures of the artwork, and you are the lawful owner of the pictures.

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Answered on 11/30/06, 12:47 pm


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