Primanti Bros. faces lawsuit over mural; TribLive, June 12, 2026

 Julia Burdelski and Megan Trotter, TribLive ; Primanti Bros. faces lawsuit over mural

"A local artist in a lawsuit filed Thursday accused Primanti Bros. of reproducing a mural he painted at the sandwich shop’s Market Square location without his permission.

Artist James Kanfoush in the lawsuit claimed Primanti Bros. violated copyright rules and the Visual Artists Rights Act by displaying replicas of his mural at their Cranberry and Grove City restaurants.

Kanfoush in 1997 and 1998 created an original mural featuring famous Pittsburgh sports figures at the restaurant’s Market Square site. The artwork includes Kanfoush’s name and contact information."

‘They picked the wrong artist’: How a Dallas mural cover-up led to a $25m lawsuit against Fifa; The Guardian, June 8, 2026

 Pablo Iglesias Maurer, The Guardian ; ‘They picked the wrong artist’: How a Dallas mural cover-up led to a $25m lawsuit against Fifa

"What has ensued has thrust the artist into a battle with the most powerful sporting organization in the world, a local organizing committee, and has sparked a long-needed debate about the ownership and importance of public art.

In time, Wyland learned that his work had been entirely erased to make way for a new mural promoting the upcoming Fifa World Cup. Almost immediately, Wyland’s team filed a cease and desist. Days later, they filed a lawsuit against Fifa seeking $25m in damages.

“This is a David and Goliath thing for sure,” said Wyland. “They are a multi-billion dollar [organization], and I am a single artist with a small foundation, But I tell you, they picked the wrong artist and the wrong artwork. I am not going to stand by and let them get away with this.”...

Wyland’s lawsuit cites the Visual Artists Rights Act (VARA) of 1990, which affords artists of “recognized stature” protection against the intentional or negligent destruction of their work. The $25m that Wyland is asking for would be far and away the largest award claimed in a VARA lawsuit. The artist says he’ll donate any proceeds from the lawsuit to charity."

The Charging Bull Sculptor Is Right. Fearless Girl Should Go.; Slate, April 12, 2017

Christina Cauterucci, Slate; 

The Charging Bull Sculptor Is Right. Fearless Girl Should Go.

"Artist Arturo Di Modica, who installed his bull sculpture under the cover of night after the 1987 stock-market crash, called on Wednesday for New York City authorities to remove the girl statue, saying it violates his rights as an artist...

Though it’s rarely been invoked, the Visual Artists Rights Act of 1990 protects artists from having their works destroyed, moved, or altered under specific circumstances. Di Modica may have been able to argue a violation of his copyright under VARA if he could convince a judge that the city modified his work or damaged its integrity in a way that harmed his reputation, which the city almost certainly did. But the law doesn’t apply to artworks created before the law’s enactment, meaning Di Modica will have to find another legal basis if he decides to sue the city."