Kat Von D has broken her silence after winning a major copyright lawsuit in 2024. The tattoo artist was sued by photographer Jeffrey Sedlik for using his 1989 portrait of Miles Davis in a tattoo she inked on a friend. A jury later ruled in her favor, saying the tattoo did not violate copyright laws.
Von D called the two-year legal fight “a nightmare,” admitting, “I think I’m still a little bit traumatised by the entire experience.” She had never been sued before and described the lawsuit as “an extremely painful process.”
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In an emotional video, she thanked Davis’ family for their support and criticized the photographer without naming him. “I truly believe he saw this as an opportunity to gain publicity and a lot of money,” she said. “Unfortunately for him, it’s backfired.”
Kat Von D hopes her win inspires other artists. “If I didn’t fight this, it would have been awful for not just tattooers but artists across the board.” She ended by sending love—even to the man who sued her.
