Polaroid Collection to be sold off?

Ektagraphic · Mar 23, 2010

Looks to me like Polaroid may auction off their collection That makes me very sad!

Exhibition of Classic Polaroid Photographs
To help celebrate the brands long history in imaging, Polaroid will hold an exclusive exhibition of classic Polaroid photographs, featuring selected works from The Polaroid Collection of Photography. The full Collection features more than 1,200 works by artists who used Polaroid cameras and film because of their unique aesthetic potential. CES attendees will have a chance to view selected works from the Collection by Ansel Adams, Andy Warhol, William Wegman and many others at Polaroids booth throughout the event. Sothebys will offer the full Collection at auction in June 2010.

I really hate what POLAROID has become!

http://www.polaroid.com/About/News/Polaroid®+Unveils+New+Product+Line-Up+at+CES/4343

photomem · Mar 23, 2010

Well, I guess we can take solace in the fact that if the collection is sold off, it will go to people who care about photography more than turning a brand into a shill in order to make a quick buck.

Ektagraphic · Mar 23, 2010

I guess but it seems wrong to me to brake up such an amazing piece of history.

lns · Mar 24, 2010

1. I don't think the new owners of Polaroid own the photo collection. My guess is that's being sold by and for the creditors of the old company.

2. Actually, the new Polaroid looks awesome. They have a deal with Lady Gaga. Seriously, that's smart.

-Laura

removed account4 · Mar 24, 2010

i see nothing wrong with selling it off at auction.
a collection of work does no one any good, if no one
is able to see it ...

if only other film companies would have a deal with pop stars ...
i agree, that's very smart ...

Jan Pietrzak · Mar 24, 2010

K,T,L,J

I have a few dogs in this fight. Laura I think that you are correct, as to who has the collection. I is going on the block th settle the debts of Petters the scheme artist. Some of the figures to look at 1200 works to go on the block, so the collection has 12,000 to 16,000 images and some say as many as 20 to 22,000??????. The collection has 61 A Team players and 1600 or more photographers with images in the collection. That's just the start, I have about 2.5 to 3 lbs of court papers to tell me that I have been Sc*****. Sotheby's does not have the clear rights to sell the collection. Any part of it. Be sides what will happen to the other images, the 1,200 that go up first are not even Polaroids for the most part.

The rub comes with the rest of the work and what will happen to it. If it is headed to the dumpster I and a lot of photographers want our work back. We worked with Polaroid materials and they worked with use at any time we needed the work back for a show we got it. I was part of the 50 photographers program and was with them for about 2 1/5 years.

The Collection is massive and needs a new home, let's hope it will stay intact. For more information go to AD Colman's site

Anybody want to buy a Polaroid
Jan Pietrzak

ps Any one want to wall paper their house.

removed account4 · Mar 24, 2010

from what i remember
polaroid used to trade photographers
a bunch of film for some art they created with it.

why don't the people selling it off have the right to do sell the images ?
i thought the folks that traded work for materials gave up their ownership/rights
when they received their (pallet of) film ... i know people who have work in the polaroid collection
but i never asked they the formalities of their agreement...
was there paperwork signed that said after a certain amount of time,
or if polaroid was sold the "work" would be returned to the artists,
or they would never be sold ( like the is gardiner museum's dutch collection ) ...

Jan Pietrzak · Mar 24, 2010

John,

The Collection was to be a working collection, for shows and corporate promotion 'corp. ads'. The work was on a trade basis for the use of film, or film to be used and work done. The photographers still held the rights to the work. That's the gray area. The courts told us that we should have come forward earlier to claim our work. I think that most of us thought that the work was apart from the P/C. I guess not true. All of this has been handed down by the courts.

A point that has not been addressed, was the work that was given to Land on a personal basis????? Ansel gave him a copy of each Portfolio he did. Also work from Weston was never done in Polaroid some of these are the work to go on the block.

Ok, did the rights to the work die with first bankruptcy???? It is a big mess.

As far as the pallet load of film goes I paid for much more film than the stuff from Polaroid. All in all it was a great time and a good rez item. All I want to know is what is going to happen to the rest of the work. And Sotheby's is not forth coming with any information. We do have an Artists Rights Act on the Books that states you can not knowingly destorying work. This happened in New Mexico and the work had to be paid for 'Big Claim'.

All I can say is, we will see what happens

Thanks for you interest

Jan Pietrzak

Ektagraphic · Mar 24, 2010

Well, I will be happy if it stays together and it isn't sold to be bought to be sold to be bought to be sold and sold and resold just to make money.

removed account4 · Mar 24, 2010

Jan Pietrzak said:
John,

The Collection was to be a working collection, for shows and corporate promotion 'corp. ads'. The work was on a trade basis for the use of film, or film to be used and work done. The photographers still held the rights to the work. That's the gray area. The courts told us that we should have come forward earlier to claim our work. I think that most of us thought that the work was apart from the P/C. I guess not true. All of this has been handed down by the courts.

A point that has not been addressed, was the work that was given to Land on a personal basis????? Ansel gave him a copy of each Portfolio he did. Also work from Weston was never done in Polaroid some of these are the work to go on the block.

Ok, did the rights to the work die with first bankruptcy???? It is a big mess.

As far as the pallet load of film goes I paid for much more film than the stuff from Polaroid. All in all it was a great time and a good rez item. All I want to know is what is going to happen to the rest of the work. And Sotheby's is not forth coming with any information. We do have an Artists Rights Act on the Books that states you can not knowingly destorying work. This happened in New Mexico and the work had to be paid for 'Big Claim'.

All I can say is, we will see what happens

Thanks for you interest

Jan Pietrzak

hi jan

thanks for the clarification!
it DOES sound like a huge mess.
can the artists whose work is in the collection
put a cease and desist or an injunction or
some sort of "brakes" on ?

i knew work was given to polaroid that was done on their
film for film, friends + teachers always thought polaroid was
great and showed a HUGE interest in photographers + artists using their product/s.
i used to get "test" magazine years ago, another of their showcases - great stuff!

what i didn't realize was that the artists still retained their rights, i just thought
it was like and "even exchange" .. or the equivalent ..

good luck with this whole ordeal !
john

Jan Pietrzak · Mar 24, 2010

John,

All I can and will say is look at the work that A.D. Colman has done on his site, lot of information. It is not a simple STOP. But it needs to be looked at. From what we do as artists when we give, trade, loan, sell some of our work what happens to it. What can we do to protect our work. And then look at what the court will allow us to do.

The courts in this action just want to get it done with. Some of the court papers come very close in saying we don't care about you art guys and girls. So get a real job and be done with it. For the most part, all we want is our work back. End of deal.

If Land and Adams where still alive, just think of what would be going on.

again thanks
Jan Pietrzak

Polaroid Collection to be sold off?

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