Pittsburgh artist sues Primanti Bros. over reproduction of Market Square mural

A local artist is suing the iconic Primanti Bros. restaurant, accusing it of illegally reproducing a mural he painted for them nearly 30 years ago. 

James Kanfoush said that back in 1997, he created a mural for the restaurant's location in Market Square that featured famous Pittsburgh sports figures. 

Kanfoush said that he was paid less than $1,000 for his work. 

Then, in 2024, he said he found replicas of the mural hanging in the restaurants in Primanti Bros. locations in Grove City and Cranberry Township. Kanfoush said he had not given the company permission to reproduce his artwork at other locations. 

The lawsuit accuses Primanti Bros. of violating the Visual Artists' Rights Act. 

In a statement provided to KDKA-TV, a vice president of the company said the following:

"Primanti Bros. respects the incredible effort and dedication it takes to create art. We are aware of this claim and are actively reviewing the matter."

The lawsuit also says that Kanfoush holds the copyright for the mural.