THE BLACK KEYS ADAPT NEW YORK ARTIST'S IDEA WITHOUT CREDIT For Immediate Release Contact: Joan Hiller / Riot Act Media / Bon Jane INTRO On August 5th 2010, New York Artist Bon Jane submitted a video treatment proposal to Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney of The Black Keys for the song 'Ten Cent Pistol' from their latest album, Brothers. In communication thereafter Jane was informed by Auerbach that, "the record label did not want to pay for the production of the video." Later that year, The Black Keys commenced to produce a song off the same album, 'Howlin' for You', Directed by Chris Marrs Pilliero, that went on to be nominated for Best Rock Video of the Year by the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards, bearing striking resemblance to the treatment provided to The Keys by Jane. On December 16th, Bon Jane released a short documentary on the subject of appropriation and ethical collaboration within the arts, featuring interviews by Gilles Bensimon, Mark Seliger, Derek Trucks, and other artists/directors, as well as legal opinions on the subject of copyright and intellectual property. The short film, 'On Appropriation', has been released on YouTube on the artists channel 'LoveMoneyHorses'. SOURCE Bon Jane is an Artist and Director who has featured as a performer in The Museum of Modern Art's 'Marina Abramovic Retrospective', as well as Deitch Projects for Vanessa Beecroft's 'VB64' installation, and Performa '09. She received her BFA in 2007, and has been working in the photographic and music industries for over twelve years, mentoring under such artists as Gilles Bensimon, Mark Seliger, Peter Beard and Nile Rodgers. Her photographic and performance work has been published in VICE, Joey, and Creem Magazine. As a musician, Jane performs as lead singer for The Blonde Janes, an indie rock band based in New York. As a model she has been photographed as artistic muse by Gilles Bensimon, Olivier Zahm for Purple Diary, and by Mark Seliger in his latest book LISTEN. Bon Jane lives and works in Brooklyn. ESSENTIALS The concept of the video written by Jane featured a femme fatale killer in a Tarrantino/Lynch style Western hunting down men. Thematics in the written and visual treatment included a vintage sports car from the 70's, three types of female assassins, a white horse, guns, men who were hunted down by the femme fatale and murdered in hotel rooms, old warehouses, as well as aesthetic treatment descriptions such as lens flare and bleed, night scenes, desert scenes, and the description of the femme fatale's wardrobe bodices and feathered eyelashes. Bon Jane also discussed with Auerbach the making of the video into a film narrative. Bon Jane was originally encouraged by The Black Keys to present them with her idea. Her interests were based solely in creative collaboration with one of her favorite artists. She has since written an open public letter inviting Dan and Pat to have an artist to artist discussion on the issue which they have yet to personally respond to. QUOTES Bon Jane, "I love The Black Keys, they were and still are one of my favorite artists. But I think it's really important to be conscious and ethical when collaborating and adapting ideas other's have presented you with." Bon Jane, "This documentary is meant to open a dialogue on ethical collaboration between artists, as well as the importance of mentorship and support of one another in the field of creative exchange. We ALL pull ideas from others, it is impossible not to, but to not honor and pay homage to that inspiration... or to use someone else's pitch and create something almost identical without respecting where that idea came from... I think we all need to be better than that." Bon Jane, "Some have said to me that I just need to accept that 'everyone gets fucked in this industry, and everyone gets their ideas stolen from them.' but I don't agree with needing to accept that. I was raised with ethics and a genuine respect for other human beings. I don't leave my ethics and respect of others at the door when I go to work, when I do business, or when I create. I don't think any of us should, especially artists with such a large platform from which to set an example." Bon Jane, "This incident has inspired me to voice concerns for a better world and better ethical treatment of one another. I thank The Black Keys for granting me the platform for such an opportunity, and for the opportunity to really lean into what it means to be an artist." Bon Jane, "Lawyers for both parties are now having a tea party." ENDS NOTE TO THE EDITOR PHOTOS AVAILABLE Photos from PDF of the video pitch sent to The Black Keys VIDEO AVAILABLE YouTube video previews for 'On Appropriation' documentary featuring Bon Jane discussing the incident of plagiarism by a major artist. Interviews with Gilles Bensimon (photographer), Mark Seliger (photographer), Derek Trucks (musician), Hanna Mattes (artist), Sean Fader (artist), Carmen Giordano (lawyer). INTERVIEWS AVAILABLE lebonjane@gmail.com |
 
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