[ March 12, 2000 ]
Q: Howson Legal Battle Settled
Q Magazine
Sunday, 12 March, 2000
Legal Battle Settled
Courtesy of Benji
Top Scottish artist Peter Howson has received around £30,000 in damages ending a long and bitter dispute with chart toppers The Beautiful South.
In a separate action, Howson also received a five-figure settlement from the publishers of Q magazine for an allegedly libellous article written by a member of The Beautiful South.
Though lawyers acting for the artist lodged actions in London, all the settlements were made out of court.
The disputes stretch back 18 months and centre on the cover Howson painted for the band's last album Quench.
Howson was angry when he saw the image cropped and also used in a promotional animation.
Howson, who was the official British war artist in Bosnia, was also furious when the image was used on merchandise - such as posters and t-shirts - which the group had no licence to use, and for which he received no payment.
When he was commissioned to do the work - plus three single covers - in July 1998, the artist received over £7,000 on the basis the images were not altered and Howson was given proper credit.
He says no deal was agreed over merchandising - and did not receive any money from those sales.
Mr Howson's manager Matthew Flowers said: "This was not essentially about money but about the principle that artist's work - and the artist themselves - should be respected. We are glad this is all behind us now."
The internationally-acclaimed artist has also announced he is donating a portrait of his 13-year-old daughter to a campaign to increase awareness of autism in Scotland.
The artist - who suffers from a form of the condition - will unveil a poster featuring the painting on Sunday Glasgow.
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