Settlement reached privately on the contentious matter of digital queens' effigies
Settlement Reached in Legal Dispute Between Jersey Heritage and Artist Chris Levine
In a joint statement, Jersey Heritage and artist Chris Levine have announced that they have reached a settlement in their legal dispute. The dispute centred around the breach of a 2015 agreement, involving the unlicensed sale of portraits of Queen Elizabeth II.
The settlement terms are confidential, and no details were provided about any possible payment or specific areas of the dispute that were resolved. It's unclear if the settlement includes any changes to the 2015 agreement between Jersey Heritage and Chris Levine.
Last year, it was revealed that Jersey Heritage was suing Chris Levine for breaching the 2015 agreement. The breach involved selling unlicensed copies of the portraits, generating millions of pounds. According to Jersey Heritage, Chris Levine made millions from selling and exploiting copies of both works without honouring the agreement, leaving at least £650,000 unpaid plus £100,000 from an earlier settlement.
The portraits, titled "Equanimity" and "Lightness of Being", were created from sittings with the Queen at Buckingham Palace in 2003 and 2004. "Equanimity" was first shown to the public during a visit by King Charles (then Prince of Wales) to Jersey in 2004. "Lightness of Being" was created four years later and was part of the collection of images involved in a legal case in England.
Despite the legal dispute, both parties remain proud of the creative collaboration that led to the creation of "Equanimity". Mr Levine argues he should receive 80% of entrance fees from Mont Orgueil Castle, where the portraits are displayed. However, the statement does not clarify whether Chris Levine will continue to receive royalties from the sale of licensed copies of "Equanimity".
The compensation to Chris Levine was paid by the parties involved in the concluded legal disputes regarding the holographic Queen Elizabeth II images displayed in Gorey Castle. It's worth noting that no resolution regarding the unpaid sum of at least £650,000 plus £100,000 from an earlier settlement was mentioned in the joint statement.
The legal dispute between Jersey Heritage and artist Chris Levine, creator of the holographic Queen Elizabeth II portraits, has now been settled. However, the status of the legal case involving "Lightness of Being" in England remains unclear.
