AI-Colorized Version of Ansel Adams’ Work Exhibited Unlawfully

This past weekend, the Ansel Adams Publishing Rights Trust issued a statement expressing strong disapproval of the unauthorized utilization of the renowned photographer’s name and artwork in the creation of an AI-generated color rendition of his iconic photograph “Moonrise, Hernandez, New Mexico.” The trust noted that this piece was offered for sale last month during the Association of International Photography Art Dealers’ (AIPAD) The Photography Show. The Danziger Gallery’s exhibit reportedly exploited Ansel Adams’ name and legacy without identifying any human artist behind the AI modification, as the statement highlights.

Interestingly, the trust did not criticize the role of AI in this context. They acknowledged that Adams was notably forward-thinking and enthusiastic about the ways in which computers could revolutionize photography. The primary concern lies in the allegation that the exhibitor essentially appropriated the artist’s work for profit without proper acknowledgment.

The statement from the Ansel Adams Publishing Rights Trust emphasized, “The Trust was not consulted or notified before the work appeared.” Upon learning of the situation, they promptly contacted James Danziger to assert the Trust’s rights and requested the removal of the work from the exhibit. Correspondence shared with the Trust reveals that even after their formal notification, Mr. Danziger continued to use Ansel’s name, the title ‘Moonrise,’ and details of the AIPAD presentation while pursuing a commercial venture related to AI colorization involving other artists’ estates. The Trust’s statement further condemns the unauthorized use of an artist’s name and work for commercial gain, labeling the incident as “a gross failure of ethical and professional judgment.”