Alfred Steiner (born 1973 in Cincinnati, Ohio) is an American artist and lawyer known for his interdisciplinary approach that integrates art, law, and technology.
In 2021, he co-founded Meister & Steiner PLLC, concentrating on copyright, trademark, artificial intelligence, and art law, and digital technology transactions, particularly in blockchain.
[13] The brief supported Mason Rothschild's appeal of the initial trademark infringement ruling regarding his MetaBirkins NFT project, which depicted fur-covered Birkin handbags.
The coalition challenged the initial ruling, viewing it as a potential threat to artists' ability to comment on and critique brands through their work.
[16] Steiner collaborates with Fairchain, an initiative that uses blockchain technology to generate digital certificates of title and authenticity, aiming to help artists benefit from the resale of their work.
[17] Alfred Steiner's art explores questions of creativity, ownership, and intellectual property in the digital age, "the relationship between artistic technique and authenticity, contrivance, and artifice.
It gained attention when it was the most expensive of the 77 pieces stolen by artist Adam Parker Smith to display in his Thanks exhibition in New York City.
Steiner remarked on the incident, saying, “Any difficulty I had that he had breached a trust was overwhelmed by the humor I found in the overall project,” emphasizing his view that it was merely borrowing.
The project addresses two key issues: providing free storage for the artist's works in environments where they will be seen and appreciated, and offering borrowers access to art that would typically command four- or five-figure prices at galleries.