Detroit artist sues building developer to protect iconic mural

DETROIT - A massive and iconic mural in Detroit in danger of coming down.

The developer has different plans for the building but the artist behind the mural is trying to stop them.

Detroit artist Katherine Craig - is now suing a Bloomfield Hills developer to save her famous mural.

It is called The Illuminated Mural. You may recognize it; it has decorated the nine-story building at 2937 E. Grand Boulevard since 2009.

It took Craig 100 gallons of paint and a year to complete.

But according to the lawsuit, Princeton Enterprises has since bought the building at auction and has plans to sell or redevelop the building into apartments or lofts, threatening to mutilate the mural.

To save the mural, Craig filed a lawsuit Tuesday hoping to preserve her work under the Visual Artists Rights Act of 1990. It is the federal copyright act that protects work by visual artists.

Katherine Craig turned down an interview - instead she provided this statement:

"The illuminated mural is an essential artwork, both for me as an artist and the city of Detroit.  I'm bringing this lawsuit to stand up for the rights of artists everywhere, and for the interests of Detroit's creative entrepreneurs like myself that have invested in the arts, public art and art education."