Joan Mitchell Foundation Threatens Legal Action Over Louis Vuitton Shoot

The Joan Mitchell Foundation has threatened legal action against Louis Vuitton for allegedly using the American abstract painter's work in an advertising campaign without permission. The foundation was approached twice by the fashion brand to use Mitchell's paintings as backdrops for handbag advertisements, with the second request emphasizing it was a personal appeal from Bernard Arnault, owner of LVMH. The foundation refused, citing a policy to only license works for educational purposes. Despite this, a shoot was organized at the Fondation Louis Vuitton, where Mitchell's works are currently exhibited alongside Claude Monet's. The campaign features actor Léa Seydoux posing with $10,500 bags in front of Mitchell's paintings, including 'Quatuor II for Betsy Jolas' (1976) and 'Le Grand Valée XIV (For a Little While)' (1983), both from the Centre Pompidou collection, and 'Edrita Fried' (1981), retained by the estate. The foundation expressed disappointment, stating Louis Vuitton showed disregard for the artist's rights. It demands the campaign be halted and threatens further legal action if the unauthorized use continues. Louis Vuitton has declined to comment, though a promotional video shows Seydoux walking past a Monet painting.