This is a brief excerpt from the document you requested from IFAR’s Art Law & Cultural Property Database.
Case Summary
Moi v. Chihuly
Moi v. Chihuly Studio, Inc., No. 2:17-cv-00853 (W.D. Wash. June 20, 2019); Moi v. Chihuly Studio, Inc., No.19-35852 (9th Cir. Mar. 01, 2021).
Précis
Dale Chihuly, like many artists throughout history, had been engaging assistants to help with completion of his works, which they did based on his preparatory sketches and under his supervision. The help of assistants became particularly imperative as Mr. Chihuly’s health declined. For instance, injuries following two accidents in the 70s left him blind in one eye and physically unable to blow glass on his own. His mental illness, which became public during this lawsuit, has also placed limits on his ability to work. Notwithstanding, Mr. Chihuly has always claimed sole authorship of his works and has never shared attribution or copyright with his assistants.
Mr. Moi worked as a contractor and a handyman at Chihuly Studios between 1999 and 2014. However, he alleged that...
Associated Legal Decision(s)
Associated Statutes and/or Legislation
-
Copyrights, 17 U.S.C. § 101, (Copyright Act of 1976), Definitions
-
Copyrights, 17 U.S.C. § 106A, (Visual Artists Rights Act of 1990 ("VARA")), Rights of certain authors to attribution and integrity
-
Copyrights, 17 U.S.C. § 201, (Copyright Act of 1976), Ownership of copyright
-
Copyrights, 17 U.S.C. § 205, (Copyright Act of 1976), Recordation of transfers and other documents
Click here to subscribe to IFAR's Art Law & Cultural Property Database to access this and other documents about U.S. and international legislation and case law concerning the acquisition, authenticity, export, ownership, and copyright of art objects.
