Chicago-based photographer Barbara Karant is suing artist Mickalene Thomas for alleged copyright infringement, as detailed in documents filed in federal district court in Illinois on May 26. Karant claims that Thomas "appropriated more than a dozen" of her images without consent or proper attribution. The lawsuit centers on Karant's 820 Ebony/Jet (2013–15) series, which captures the interiors of the former headquarters of the Johnson Publishing Company.
Details of the Copyright Infringement Case
The dispute arises from Karant's collection of 250 photographs taken at the historic headquarters of the Johnson Publishing Company, known for publishing Ebony and Jet magazines. This building, located on South Michigan Avenue, was the first high-rise commissioned by a Black-owned corporation in Chicago. The lawsuit alleges that in Thomas's upcoming exhibition, All About Love, her installation incorporated several of Karant's copyrighted photographs.
The specific images cited include a photograph taken in an Ebony Fashion Fair dressing room and two others depicting the patterned walls of the headquarters. Karant's lawsuit states, "The vibrant, patterned shapes, the ceiling lights, and the patterned wallpaper … were all lifted from Karant's photographs of the JPC interiors." This accusation raises significant concerns about artistic appropriation and copyright laws.
Responses from Parties Involved
As the legal proceedings unfold, an attorney for Thomas and her public relations team have not responded to requests for comments from Hyperallergic. Meanwhile, Charles Insler, Karant's attorney, declined to provide a statement. In addition to Thomas, the lawsuit names several galleries, including Lévy Gorvy Dayan, Yancey Richardson, Kavi Gupta, and Galerie Nathalie Obadia, accusing them of participating in "willful" copyright infringement.
