Posthumous Licensing of AIDS-Era Artists' Work in Fashion and Merchandising
The Robert Mapplethorpe Foundation, along with foundations for Keith Haring and Andy Warhol, has expanded licensing agreements to commercialize the artists' imagery through fashion and merchandise. Mapplethorpe's first licensing deal in 1986 with Swid Powell for dinner plates marked an early move into mass-produced goods. Following his death from AIDS in 1989, his foundation established in 1988 now partners with brands like Raf Simons, Zara, and Ludovic de Saint Sernin for fashion collections. Similarly, the Keith Haring Foundation shifted to a licensing model after closing its Pop Shop in 2005, while the Andy Warhol Foundation pioneered this approach by liquidating art holdings in 2011. These efforts generate royalties for philanthropic causes, including AIDS research, while managing the artists' legacies as brands through copyright and trademark protections.
Key facts
- Robert Mapplethorpe signed his first licensing agreement with Swid Powell in 1986 for dinner plates featuring floral photographs.
- Mapplethorpe died from AIDS in 1989 at age 42, and his foundation, established to protect his work, now licenses imagery to fashion brands like Raf Simons and Zara.
- Keith Haring opened the Pop Shop in 1986 but his foundation later adopted a licensing model, closing the shop in 2005 to focus on philanthropy.
- Andy Warhol's foundation disbanded its authentication board in 2011 and liquidated art holdings to prioritize licensing deals for brand management.
- These foundations use licensing royalties to fund philanthropic activities, including AIDS research and contemporary art support, while controlling artist legacies through copyright and trademarks.
Entities
Artists
Institutions
- Robert Mapplethorpe Foundation
- Keith Haring Foundation
- Andy Warhol Foundation
- Artestar
- Swid Powell
- Ligne Blanche Paris
Locations
- New York
- Paris
- Lower Manhattan