Sequence of events

1. In late 2006, following my exhibition at the Arts Club in Dover Street, London, I was approached for an exhibition in Japan. Cartier were interested in the sponsorship and first meeting with the their representatives was at The Ritz Hotel London, where I was given business cards with Cartier embossed. I had no reason to doubt the validity of the sponsor.

2. The e mails received leading up to the exhibition were also sent from Cartier and their name is on the contract.

3. It would now seem the sole purpose of asking me to exhibit in Japan was to secure my close friend Jane Birkin to sing at the Cartier ‘Love Event’ the previous evening, details of which are supported by a lengthly letter from Ms Birkin.

4. The ‘Love Event’ in 2007 was held at the Robuchon restaurant in Tokyo. There was a large led screen with my photograph of Jane Birkin taken for the cover of her album Arabesque. This photograph is my copyright and no permission was given to use my image or to overwrite the image with the Cartier name and logo, in situation or on the internet.

5. At the exhibition the following day the gallery was virtually empty. No invitations for the exhibition had been sent by Cartier. There was no visible presence of the sponsor in any way. The MD told Jane Birkin at the rehearsals that he was unaware that the event was taking place. There has been no explanation or communication since these events, except through expensive litigation. A brief meeting four years ago with my agent and Cartier representatives at the Cartier Foundation in Paris, achieved nothing but for Cartier to concede they did not have the right to use the image.

Cartier continue to play David and Goliath. The legal fees mount at every hearing, but that is not a problem for them. I am putting this mail on the internet to demonstrate the injustices of taking a large corporate company to court.