Artists Clash in High Court Over Queen Elizabeth II Portrait Credits
A significant legal battle has erupted at the High Court concerning the artistic credit for two portraits of the late Queen Elizabeth II. The dispute pits artist Robert Munday and his company, Spatial Imaging Limited, against Christopher Levine and his firm, Sphere9 Limited. At the heart of the claim are allegations of breach of contract and violations of "moral rights" related to two works titled Equanimity and Lightness of Being.
Allegations of Breach and Counterclaims
Court documents filed last year by barristers representing Mr Munday and Spatial Imaging assert that Mr Levine failed to honor an agreement from 2005. This agreement stipulated that Mr Munday would be recognized as having "co-created" the portraits. Mr Munday is seeking a High Court declaration that he is the joint author of both the artworks and the images captured during photoshoots at Buckingham Palace in 2003 and 2004. Additionally, he requests an order for Mr Levine to credit him for the works and an "inquiry as to damages."
In response, Mr Levine and Sphere9 are vigorously contesting the claim. Their lawyers have stated in court documents that Mr Munday possesses "no real reputation as a credible artist," denying any breach of contract and asserting he is not entitled to damages. Furthermore, Mr Levine has launched a counterclaim against Mr Munday for alleged copyright infringement, seeking a declaration of sole authorship for the two works and a judicial inquiry into damages. No findings have been made regarding these claims as the case proceeds.
Details of the Artistic Contributions
Barrister Nick Zweck, representing Mr Munday, detailed in court documents that after Mr Levine approached Mr Munday to collaborate, two photoshoots were conducted with Queen Elizabeth II. These sessions produced the photographs used in the portraits. Mr Zweck argued that Mr Munday "contributed most of the aspects of intellectual creation involved in the creation of Equanimity" and processed the photo for Lightness of Being. He emphasized that Mr Levine has "persistently failed" to attribute the works to Mr Munday, breaching the 2005 agreement which required publicity to state "the name of the artist and an acknowledgement that the artist co-created the portrait."
On the other side, barrister Thomas Elias, for Mr Levine and Sphere9, defended the claim by stating that Mr Levine was "the sole author" of the portraits. He noted that the 2005 agreement "notably does not go so far as to say that Mr Munday was an author of Equanimity." Regarding the 2004 photoshoot, Mr Elias claimed Mr Levine handled "all the major elements of the shoot," while Mr Munday "spent most of the shoot in front of a computer." He further denied that Mr Munday or Spatial Imaging "have suffered, or will suffer, loss and damage" from the alleged breaches.
The High Court case continues, with both parties awaiting a resolution on these complex issues of artistic credit and contractual obligations.
