Legal battles force sale of Robert Indiana's collection

Two works from Robert Indiana's estate, Ed Ruscha's Ruby and Ellsworth Kelly's Orange Blue, are being sold at New York auctions to cover legal fees. The legal dispute involves the Morgan Art Foundation (MAF), which has represented Indiana since the 1990s and owns the LOVE trademark. MAF filed a lawsuit in New York against Indiana's assistant Jamie Thomas and art publisher Michael McKenzie, alleging they exploited Indiana late in his life by producing dubious works and isolating him. The foundation also questions Indiana's alleged will appointing Thomas as director of a museum on Vinalhaven Island, arguing Thomas is unqualified. The Maine Attorney General's office is monitoring the case, which had a pre-trial hearing in Manhattan in July. McKenzie calls the lawsuit a futile attempt to discredit Thomas, whom he describes as Indiana's best friend and studio assistant. The estate, estimated at $50 million, prompted the sale to fund legal costs, drawing criticism from US art critics who argue the collection should remain intact. John Wilmerding, professor emeritus at Princeton University, told the New York Times that Indiana's estate should be preserved, including works by other artists he collected.