In 2017, Kat Von D shared a photo on social media of a tattoo she had done on a client at her tattoo shop, High Voltage Tattoo, in West Hollywood (via Stereo Gum). The tattoo was of a portrait of legendary late trumpeter Miles Davis, and Von D is being sued by the photographer. In February 2021, photographer Jeffrey Sedlik filed a 31-page complaint with the California federal court, claiming that he has sole ownership of the copyright for the photo of Davis, which he snapped in 1989 for a cover story for Jazziz magazine.
Sedlik claimed in his complaint that not only did Von D not reach out and apply for a copyright license to use the image, but that by posting it on social media she was using his image to promote her business. Sedlik's complaint further stated that he "reached out to Kat Von D 'artist to artist' (through her representatives) seeking an amicable resolution of the matter prior to filing suit, but Ms. Von Drachenberg chose to ignore Mr. Sedlik's good faith effort to avoid litigation."
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