from the Office of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III to Companies Selling Duplications of Paintings Created by H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III:
Yesterday, the Office of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III (the Office) received communications from some people who bought printed copies of paintings created by H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III. They said that the duplications of the paintings they had bought were priced from 1,000 to 5,000 dollars each. Upon knowing this matter, His Holiness the Buddha immediately instructed the Office to call the H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III Cultural and Art Museum by phone to inquire. Over the phone, His Holiness the Buddha spoke in person to the Museum’s Assistant to the Director Ren Xue who was on duty at the time to ask about the situation. Ren Xue said that some of the pictures were from some external art companies. All are duplicated copies of paintings by His Holiness the Buddha, including Western paintings and Chinese paintings. Some are priced at 3,000 dollars and some are priced at 5,000 dollars.
H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III said that such high prices are really out of line and stated very sternly,
“H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III Cultural and Art Museum is an independent organization. I do not have the right to interfere what the museum does. However, these artworks have to do with me. You should immediately call your Director and the person in charge of the museum’s operation as well as the companies and individuals that make printed copies of my paintings and put them at the museum for sale, to tell them or the companies’ officials that, although they have bought some of my paintings or have the right to sell some of the paintings and therefore I have no say in this, I must still express my opinion. How could their duplications or printed copies be priced as high as 1,000 to 5,000 dollars?”
“I am greatly shocked and cannot understand this. Those pictures do not have my signature signed in person with ink. You use my paintings to plunder money from other people and have no consideration to other people’s interests. Don’t you feel that your act of greed has already covered up the conscience of humanity? Aren’t you aware that your mentality is problematic? Shouldn’t you earnestly introspect yourself with the opinion I expressed?”
“Of course, I have no knowledge about your cost of making these duplicated paintings. However, you should give an explanation on this matter and should also make reasonable price reductions in time. Remember, whether you are the museum or some other companies, your profit must be made under the premise of reasonable pricing. After all, these are just printed copies of the paintings without my personal signature and are printed matters for hanging on the wall for decoration. Of course, they absolutely can bring the enjoyment of art to people, but they do not have the value of collectables.”
Therefore, the Office hope that the organizations possessing the rights of printing H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III’s artworks treat this matter seriously and deal with purchasers reasonably and fairly.
From the Office of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III,
October 29, 2014