THE NEW YORK TIMES
By Graham Bowley
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| Derek Fordjour in his studio. |
Six years ago, when
Derek Fordjour was a little-known art student at Hunter College, before Michael Ovitz and Beyoncé began collecting his work, before his paintings came to sell for more than $100,000, the fledgling artist struck a deal with a New York gallery. He agreed, according to a lawsuit now being pursued in New York Supreme Court, to produce 20 works for $20,000. The Robert Blumenthal Gallery is suing him now, saying he still owes the gallery seven of those pieces, and — as ample evidence of the surging popularity of Mr. Fordjour’s art — says it will accept no less than $1.45 million in their stead. [
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