Guest Work Agency

In exciting news, Guest Work Agency’s Founder and Director, Alana Kushnir has been named as a finalist in two categories at the Lawyers Weekly Women in Law Awards 2024, ‘Thought Leader of the Year’ and ‘Sole Practitioner of the Year’. This is an outstanding achievement, with the awards recognising female excellence across the legal sector in Australia.

To read more, please click the link in our story.

MONA’s LADIES LOUNGE COURT CASE CONTINUES

On Friday, Tasmania’s Supreme Court ruled on MONA’s discrimination case, adding another chapter to the Ladies Lounge saga.

Acting Justice Shane Marshall determined the matter be sent back to TasCAT for reconsideration.

The proceedings were commenced under s 26 of Tasmania’s Anti-Discrimination Act 1998 (Tas). The law allows for discrimination to be claimed under a program that promotes equal opportunity for a group of people who are disadvantaged.

In his judgement, his Honour states that the tribunal made an error of law, as it was not open to the evidence that the Ladies Lounge enabled a “rare experience” where women had the “privilege of discrimination in their favour”. The matter will now be reheard in TasCAT, with consideration to Acting Justice Marshall’s reasoning.

If you would like to read the judgement in full, please DM us for the link!

Image: ‘Ladies Lounge’. Photo Credit: Mona/Jesse Hunniford. Image Courtesy MONA Museum of Old and New Art, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia.

Art Case Snapshot 📸 🖼️

In Australian copyright law news, the Federal Court of Asutralia has clarified s 183(1) of the Copyright Act 1968. Justice Burley determined that the Commonwealth or a State, or someone authorised by either of them, does not infringe on copyright if the acts are done for the services of the government. Justice Burley’s judgment has significant implications for businesses and government entities that are providing services to the Commonwealth or a State, as it clarifies the application of this exception to copyright infringement.

To read more about this significant judgment, head to our Art Case Update via the link in bio.

Image: CSIRO image of Parliament House, Canberra. Sourced from WikiCommons.

Art Case Snapshot 📸 🖼️

A Peter Paul Rubens sketch will be returned to the Friedenstein Foundation in Germany, 80 years after it was illegally sold. Saint Gregory of Nazianzus is one of twenty-two surviving oil sketches by Rubens. After over two years of negotiations, the Friedenstein Foundation agreed to purchase the Rubens oil sketch from the Buffalo AKG Art Museum, who had acquired the work without knowing it was looted.

To read more about this story, head to our Art Case Update via the link in our bio.

Image: Peter Paul Rubens, ‘Saint Gregory of Nazianzus’ , 1621. Sourced from Christie’s.

Art Case Snapshot 📸 🖼️

PepsiCo has been successful on appeal on a licencing and tax matter heard before the Full Federal Court of Australia.

In this case, the court considered the commercial arrangement between PepsiCo, and Schweppes Australia Pty Ltd, an Australian company owned by Asahi Breweries.

The judgement is likely to alter the definition of ‘royalties’ for the purpose of calculating royalty withholding tax, and also provide useful commentary on the nature of implied licenses of intellectual property.

To read more details about the case, head to our Art Case Update via the link in our bio.

Image: Creative commons. Image taken by Wilfredor, licenced under CC BY-SA 4.0.

The Art of Contract: Artist & Brand Collaborations 🎨📝⚖️

In a series of stories for our website, Director and Founder of Guest Work Agency, Alana Kushnir shares her top tips on contracts which regularly arise in the art industry.

In the latest story, Alana discusses some of the critical components of artist and brand collaborations and public art commissions, like exclusivity and the different forms of payment. Click on the link in bio to read Alana’s helpful suggestions.



Image: Reko Rennie’s custom artworks commissioned by Heineken® 0.0 for the F1® Australian Grand Prix. Images by Bill Murray courtesy of Heineken and Getty Sport.

Art Case Snapshot 📸 🖼️

A Picasso drawing worth $1.2 million USD has been found to have been purchased with misappropriated funds by high ranking  officials from Malaysia. A portion of the embezzled money was then used to buy the Picasso ‘Trois femmes nues et buste d’homme’ (1969). The drawing formed part of a series of eight by the artist, drawn over two days.

The US Justice Department is now seeking to recover the work.

Image: Pablo Picasso, ‘Trois femmes nues et buste d’homme’, 1969. Sourced from Christie’s.

Guest Work Agency’s Archives and Collections Consultant, Laura Brandon attended yesterday’s VIP Collectors Preview of Sydney Contemporary

“Sydney Contemporary is a calendar highlight every year. A melting pot of energy and inspiration, the fair showcases so many artists and galleries in one location. The multitude of opportunities on offer to engage with artists and curators only deepens the experience, providing insight into Australia’s current art landscape.”

Last Friday evening in Sydney, we attended the Lawyers Weekly Australian Law Awards, where our Director and Founder, Alana Kushnir was a finalist for Innovator of the Year.

At GWA we embrace the use of innovative technologies to complement our boutique legal practice, like generative AI software especially designed for contract reviews and drafting, and chatbots for our Contract Builder products.

The Australian Law Awards recognises the top legal professionals and firms across the nation. Congratulations to everyone who was nominated and the winners of each category.




Image: Courtesy of Alana Kushnir

For the latest edition of Meet our Guest, we spoke with Ward Williams, the Founder and CEO of .one Seminal is rapidly expanding, connecting artists to licensing opportunities around the world.

To read the full interview with Ward, head to the link in our bio.

Image: Portrait of Ward Williams. Photographed by Austin Stone. Seminal Dashboard. ©️ Li Jin, licensed by Seminal.

Art Case Snapshot 📸 🖼️
Our Art Case Update is your go-to source for art-related legal cases and law reform.

We recently covered the historic 27th WIPO Treaty. The World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) member states, which includes Australia, have adopted their first Treaty in over a decade. The 27th WIPO treaty relates to intellectual property, genetic resources and associated traditional knowledge.

To read more, head to our August Art Case Update via the link in bio.

Image: Diplomatic Conference on Genetic Resources and Associated Traditional Knowledge – Signing Ceremony, by WIPO, licenced under Creative Commons.

🌟The Host Update🌟
The Host is our quarterly newsletter with stories for our clients and industry partners. We’re releasing our August issue on Friday, with useful content on art, law and business including:

📚 An update on our goings on Inside the Agency
📚 August’s Art Case Update, reporting on MONA’s Picasso replicas and the 27th WIPO Treaty on IP, genetic resources and associated traditional knowledge
📚 Our Meet our Guest interview features Ward Williams, the Founder and CEO of our client .one
📚 Our top tips on artist/brand collaborations

Make sure you’ll receive The Host by clicking on the link in our bio to subscribe!

Image: May 2024 edition of The Host with photo courtesy of Melbourne Art Foundation.

rayner

Christie’s eighth Art+Tech Summit was recently held in New York City. The two day summit focused on four topical trends: AI in Real Life, Art and its Market, Thoughtful Luxury, and New Paradigms in Technology.

The Summit included guest speakers such as Apple’s Steve Wozniak and Alexander Reben, an artist in residence at OpenAI.

We love watching this annual event back each year, with many pertinent art law topics discussed. For more info head to the Christie’s website.



Image sourced from Christies, Laurie Segall, Refik Andol and Marcus Fox discuss the opportunities and dangers presented by AI

Recently, the Art Lawyers Association (ALA) and The International Catalogue Raisonné Association (ICRA) jointly presented a panel discussion on legal issues & the Catalogue Raisonné. The panel examined questions such as ‘How are catalogue raisonnés used in the art market for legal transactions and litigation?’ and whether a catalogue raisonné is a record of fact or opinion.

The full discussion is available on YouTube, via the link on our stories.
art


Image: Edmund and Joanna Capon Research Library at AGNSW, courtesy of Laura Brandon.

Exhibition Spotlight: SCI-FI: Mythologies Transformed

SCI-FI: Mythologies Transformed has opened at Science Gallery Melbourne, a collaboration between ArtScience Museum and the University of Melbourne.

The free exhibition explores the genre of science fiction, futurism and technology in conjunction with ancient philosophies and mythologies. It showcases contemporary artworks, cinema and historical artefacts made by female artists and collectives and is on until April 2025.

Click the link on our stories to find out more!





Image: Red Silk of Fate - The Shrine (2023) by Sputniko! and Napp Studio & Architects. Courtesy of Science Gallery University of Melbourne.

Did you know that Guest Work Agency runs bespoke Artist Estate Planning & Archives workshops?

We recently hosted a workshop for our clients and their artists.

Our workshops take you through:
- what is an artist estate plan and why is it critical to your professional practice?
- what archival processes should you consider for your studio?
- why is having a well-drafted will in place important at all stages of your artistic career?

If you’re interested in participating in hosting or participating in one of our workshops, please get in touch with us via DM or the contact us page our website.

For the latest edition of Meet our Guest, we interviewed the newest member of Guest Work Agency’s team, Paralegal Eve Rayner. With a double degree in Law and Art History (almost) under her belt, Eve brings with her a signature love of all things art that is central to GWA.

To read the full interview with Eve, see the link in our bio!

Guest Work Agency is excited to share our client, Illuvium, has a new Blockchain game launching July 25.

The game has been developed over three and a half years, and will consist of three interconnected games: Illuvium Overworld, an open-world RPG with exploration and adventures; Illuvium Arena, a strategic auto-battle; and Illuvium Zero, a mobile city-building game focusing on resource management and growth.

Congratulations to the team for all of their hard work.

Image courtesy of Illuvium.

Have you heard about MONA’s Picasso replicas?

Our Founder and Director, Alana Kushnir, was asked by the national broadcaster, the ABC, to comment on the legal issues that may arise when displaying replica artworks in museums.

Click on the link in our bio to read more.






Ladies Lounge. Photo Credit: Mona/Jesse Hunniford. Image Courtesy MONA Museum of Old and New Art, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia.

Have you ever been confused about what certain legal terms mean? Are you struggling to know the difference between machine learning and generative AI?

In our regular Go To Glossary segment, Guest Work Agency demystifies legal tech jargon that artists, curators, fabricators, galleries and museums should know.

Click the link in our bio to read more!

Our Archives and Collections Consultant, Laura Brandon, will be participating in a panel discussion at Linden New Art this Saturday, 20 July from 1-2pm, alongside medical specialists Dr Carmel Crock, Beverley Vollenhoven AM, and chaired by Gallery CEO & Director, Dr Vincent Alessi.

Held during Michelle Hamer’s darkly humorous solo exhibition, I’M A BELIEVER, the panel will focus on unpacking dismissive language surrounding chronic health issues, gendered nuances, access challenges, erasure & inclusivity.

We can’t wait to cheer you on Laura!

You can RSVP via the Linden New Art’s website.

We have some exciting news!

Our Director and Founder Alana Kushnir is a finalist for ‘Innovator of the Year’ in the Lawyers Weekly Australian Law Awards 2024.

The ‘Innovator of the Year (Individual)’ category recognises that in today’s legal market, innovation is essential in standing out from the crowd. The award recognises the individual who has successfully implemented innovative projects and/or strategic initiatives in FY23-24.

The Australian Law Awards is the most highly regarded awards program across Australia, recognising excellence in the Australian legal sector. Winners will be announced on Friday, 30 August 2024.

Congratulations to Alana and all of the finalists 🙌

Art Case Snapshot 📸 🖼️

The European Court of Human Rights has ended a 14-year legal battle between Italy and the J. Paul Getty Museum, deciding that the ancient Greek statue should be returned to Italy.

There have been various repatriation cases in recent month, which place a spotlight on the definition of ‘origin’ and discussions about non-binding jurisdictions hearing matters.

To learn more about this story, read our latewst Art Case Update via our link in bio.

Image: Statue of a Victorious Youth, pre-conservation in the Getty Museum. Sourced from Wikimedia Commons.

We have some exciting news from our Founder and Director Alana Kushnir 📣

Alana has joined the Board of Directors of the Jewish Museum of Australia. Having served as a volunteer director of a broad range of non-profit arts organisations in Australia over the past two decades, Alana’s appointment marks the first time that the art lawyer and curator will be combining her expertise in the arts sector with her Jewish heritage. Congratulations Alana!

Alana commented on joining the Board of the Museum: “For decades, Jewish voices have played a crucial role in the cultivation of the creative industries in Australia. So, it is heartbreaking to see that Jewish artists, arts workers and philanthropists are being shunned en masse today. Now more than ever, I could not think of a better time to join this important cultural institution in its mission to not only share the Jewish experience, but to ensure that it continues to thrive in Australian society for generations to come.”

Read more about the Museum and its remit via the link in our bio.

Image left: Photo by Marie-Louise Skibbe, installation view of CHAGALL, Jewish Museum of Australia, Melbourne, 2023. Image right: Photo by Justin Ridler.

As GWA continues to develop it's expertise in estate planning for artists and collectors, we jumped at the chance to speak to Canadian-based high net-worth and art planner, Sara Adami-Johnson in our latest Meet our Guest edition.

Sara specialises in complex international estate matters involving art and digital assets, family governance and business succession planning. The interview includes Sara's top tips for artists and collectors on what they can do to preserve their legacies for the future.

To read the full interview, head to the link below.

Image: Portrait of Sara Adami-Johnson

Meet Our Guest With Sara Adami-Johnson — Guest Work Agency As GWA continues to develop its own expertise in estate planning for artists and collectors, we jumped at the chance to ask Sara Adami-Johnson about her experiences in the field. Sara is a Canadian-based high net-worth (HNW) planner specialising in complex international estate matters involving art