The Keith Haring Foundation, which owns intellectual property rights to the artist's work, along with a significant collection of Haring artwork, has filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Miami against organizers of the exhibition "Haring Miami." A number of Haring artworks in the exhibit are fakes, claims the foundation's suit.

In addition to a complaint for copyright and trademark infringement, the foundation submitted an Emergency Motion for a Temporary Restraining Order and a demand for the immediate removal of all but 10 of about 200 works in the exhibition, which opened Wednesday evening at the Moore Building in downtown Miami.

The organizers of the exhibition assembled prominent members of the Miami arts community to join the “Host Committee,” and secured sponsorship from established organizations and companies including The Miami Herald, Bombay Sapphire, Veuve Clicquot, and several others.

Prior to the court hearing, the organizers’ counsel contacted the foundation’s litigation counsel in an attempt to reach an agreement. While the organizers of “Haring Miami” agreed to remove all unauthenticated Haring works from the exhibition immediately, and to destroy the exhibition catalogue, the foundation plans to continue its lawsuit.

The Keith Haring Foundation, established by the artist in 1989, provides support to organizations that offer educational opportunities to underprivileged children and to organizations that engage in education, prevention and care with respect to AIDS and HIV infection.