Kat Von D has broken her silence after winning a major copyright lawsuit in 2024. The tattoo artist was sued by photographer Jeffrey Sedlik for using his 1989 portrait of Miles Davis in a tattoo she inked on a friend. A jury later ruled in her favor, saying the tattoo did not violate copyright laws.
Von D called the two-year legal fight “a nightmare,” admitting, “I think I’m still a little bit traumatised by the entire experience.” She had never been sued before and described the lawsuit as “an extremely painful process.”
In an emotional video, she thanked Davis’ family for their support and criticized the photographer without naming him. “I truly believe he saw this as an opportunity to gain publicity and a lot of money,” she said. “Unfortunately for him, it’s backfired.”
Kat Von D hopes her win inspires other artists. “If I didn’t fight this, it would have been awful for not just tattooers but artists across the board.” She ended by sending love—even to the man who sued her.
