8

What's happening is that [the owner] doesn't want to send my artworks back, though I had attached a letter to the contract explaining how to do it when I sent the artwork (that means I told them from the beginning). I had also sent an e-mail but got no answer and was a bit worried. No way to talk to them.

Actually I received an e-mail on monday titled: "last call for your artwork before donation" (which should have been titled "first call" actually) in which [the owner] said it would be given at the end of the day if he had no news from me.

I know there are many artists in this show, so I kindly explained to him again, and made him notice that either way, artwork should be sent back before 31-3-09 and that monday was 23-3. He answered: "too late, it's already donated"!

Then I tried not be rude and just said I that I would see with my barrister what I could do. He answered to this e-mail by three e- mails:

-the first one asking how to send the artwork (though he had said it was already donated, see what I mean?)
-the second one (about 5 minutes later) to insult me (I don't give you details, it would be too long!)
-the third one (5 minutes later again) to say that he wouldn't send anything and that if I answered to this mail or wrote to them again or did anything to be in touch with them, he would lodge a complaint against me for harrassment (!!!)

Of course, I was not impressed and answered anyway, asking him to be a little more reasonable and professional, and then he said he would keep my artwork until I come and pick it up and gave me 6 hours to pick it up (From France...)

Then I asked him to keep my artworks and wait until my barrister tells what to do. The problem is that I've asked a friend who's barrister what to do, but doing something legal from France is much to complicated end expensive, and so the only thing to do is to give it up, unless they decide to send my works back all the same. I know they won't because I don't believe they even know which paintings are mine, or maybe they are lost or damaged. If not he wouldn't make problems to send them back.

Anyway, [the first review] helped me to understand a little more who they are exactly. But actually I am not so amazed, as you said "they were red flags, I ignored them." I am used to working with professional people, and they don't behave this way.