Sec. 45.65.200. - Artists and art dealer relationships. - Alaska Statutes

(a) When an artist delivers or causes to be delivered a work of art of the artist's own creation to an art dealer for the purpose of sale, or exhibition and sale, on a commission, fee, or other basis of compensation, the acceptance of the work of art by the art dealer is a consignment, and

(1) the art dealer is, with respect to the work of art, the agent of the artist;

(2) the work of art is trust property in the hands of the art dealer for the benefit of the artist;

(3) proceeds from the sale of the work of art are trust funds in the hands of the art dealer for the benefit of the artist;

(4) the art dealer shall return an unsold work of art on demand of the artist;

(5) the art dealer is strictly liable for loss or damage to a work of art while the work of art is in the possession of the art dealer; the value of a lost or damaged work of art is the value established by written agreement between the artist and art dealer before the loss or damage of the work of art; if no written agreement establishing the value of the work of art exists, the value is the fair market value of the work of art less the art dealer's commission or fee; and

(6) the dealer shall transmit the proceeds to the artist within 30 days of receipt by the dealer; if the sale is on installment, the money from each installment shall first be applied to pay any balance due the artist on the sale, unless the artist expressly agrees in writing that the proceeds on each installment are to be paid according to a percentage established by the consignment agreement.

(b) A work of art initially received as a consignment remains trust property notwithstanding the subsequent purchase of the artwork by the art dealer directly or indirectly for the art dealer's own account until the consignment price due to the artist is paid in full. The trusteeship continues until the fiduciary obligation of the art dealer with respect to the transaction is discharged in full.