Painting Causes Controversy in Trumbull, Owner Says Town is Protected

The man who donated the painting of Mother Teresa and other women to the Trumbull library has come out and said he believes there is no issue of copyright infringement or town liability.

“...as the owner who commissioned the paintings, I have agreed, when the paintings were hung originally, to take full legal and financial responsibility for any damages if there ever is a lawsuit or claim, or any other charges in regard to this painting or any others in the collection,” Richard Resnick said in an email.

The painting was recently ordered to be taken down by First Selectman Tim Herbst after he consulted with legal counsel about the possibility of the town being liable for copyright infringement damages.

He added that he believes First Selectman Tim Herbst’s decision to take the painting down was politically motivated.

Herbst denied that, according to the Trumbull Times. He said that the decision was solely to protect the town against potential litigation. The next step would be to get a written agreement to protect the town and have an intellectual property attorney weigh in before the painting is re-hung.

Father Brian Gannon of St. Theresa Roman Catholic Church on Main Street objected to the painting and said Mother Teresa wouldn’t have marched with the women, according to the Connecticut Post.

Resnick said the painting is about more than Mother Teresa and is about the accomplishments many women have made throughout the years.

“Mother Teresa is holding a banner that says, “With so many others, Onward We March,” to celebrate the achievements of women, worldwide, and their many causes that have been so important in the women’s movement as well as individual causes each of these great women championed,” he said.

He added that, “The women included beside Mother Teresa, are Abigail Adams, Clara Barton, Florence Nightingale, Gloria Steinem, Betty Freidan, and Margaret Sanger, who was a staunch advocate of family planning to prevent back alley abortions. The small sign of Planned Parenthood, is one of about 20, that read Shelter the Poor, Feed the Poor, Equal Wages, Hospital Reform, American Red Cross, 19th Amendment, Equal Wages, Right to Vote, Women serving Humanity, Sister of Mercy, ERA, among others. The painting is not about Mother Teresa or Margaret Sanger, but about women’s contributions for unrelated, progressive and important issues.”

The whole collection of art, which included the painting was loaned to the library, Resnick said. Prior to that it had been on display at Colgate University and Fairfield University.

“Herbst’s copyright claims were the convenient excuse he used to justify his actions which is a totally bogus issue and in no way applies to this original art piece,” he said.