Artists and Former Staffers Accuse London Gallery of Withholding Payment

"For the past three days, Los Angeles-based artist Brittany Fanning has posted the same picture to her Instagram grid. It shows two grinning men in double-breasted suits, complete with pocket squares. In her caption, she identifies them as brothers Jackson Navin and Matthew Navin, of London-based gallery Pictorum Art Group. In a separate posting, Fanning says that she is still owed money from the gallery related to a group show she participated in three years ago."

"During the course of her campaign, Fanning said she learned that other artists are claiming to be in a similar situation and have also not received payment from Pictorum. One of these artists, Finn Johnson, received a court judgment ordering payment for balances owed to her. Additionally, former staffers told ARTnews that they have also gone unpaid despite numerous attempts to contact the principals. Pictorum was dissolved in July, and ARTnews's attempts to reach the Navin brothers were unsuccessful."

"Though Fanning described herself in an interview with ARTnews as somewhat new to the art world, she has had solo shows since 2022 at well-regarded galleries around the world, including Miami's Mindy Solomon, Los Angeles's Steve Turner, and Seoul's Galerie BHAK. She has also participated in group shows in Rome, Mexico City, and Taipei since 2018. The artist has in the past painted brightly colored, sunny scenes of leisure settings often intruded upon by wild animals; her most recent work has reverted to a black and white palette."

Brittany Fanning posted an image identifying brothers Jackson Navin and Matthew Navin of London-based Pictorum Art Group and alleges she remains unpaid for a group show from three years earlier. She reported learning that other artists also claim unpaid balances; one artist, Finn Johnson, secured a court judgment ordering payment. Former Pictorum staffers reported going unpaid despite repeated contact attempts with the principals. Pictorum was dissolved in July, and attempts to reach the Navin brothers were unsuccessful. Fanning has exhibited solo and group shows internationally since 2018 and shifted from brightly colored leisure scenes to a black-and-white palette in recent work. Pictorum employed nonstandard payment terms that surprised Fanning.

Read at ARTnews.com