What do you do when your artwork that graces the exterior of a building is sold and that building is slated to be demolished for future development? The 5Pointz Graffiti case in New York set the precedent for Las Vegas artist James Stanford when the City of Las Vegas purchased The 705 building and inherited his 2000+ sqft mural, A Phalanx of Angels Ascending. The artist’s Visual Artists Rights Act (VARA), which grants visual artists certain “moral rights” for their work, was something to be considered in this new matter.
ArtCulture PR was able to negotiate with the City of Las Vegas on the artist’s behalf to solidify the accession of the mural into the City’s art collection and allow the artist to retain his copyright of the artwork. It was an incredible experience to work with the Stanford and The City of Las Vegas’ Cultural Affairs department to preserve this mural in its archives for many years to come. The City of Las Vegas is creating a special page on their website to highlight Stanford’s mural and his homage to the iconic Blue Angel, the unofficial patron saint of Las Vegas.