A renowned British artist says a scammer is using her identity online—and she is asking Google to help reveal who is behind the alleged fraud.
Cecily Brown, a leading figure in contemporary art, is seeking information about a fraudulent Gmail account that allegedly impersonated her while approaching artists with fake professional opportunities.
Brown, 57, filed a petition in Manhattan Supreme Court on Sept. 9 asking the court to compel Google to provide details that could identify the account holder. She hopes to bring a lawsuit against the person responsible, but must first determine their identity.
According to the filing, the scammer used the email address “aujourdhuiroseart@gmail.com.” “Aujourd’hui Rose” is the name of one of Brown’s best-known paintings, which is part of the National Gallery of Art’s collection in Washington, D.C. Brown also uses “aujourdhuirose” as her Instagram handle.
Brown learned about the alleged impersonation in July, after another artist forwarded her a message from the suspicious account.
The email reportedly began with a message of appreciation: “I wanted to take a moment to express my sincere gratitude for the unwavering
support and encouragement you and other artists have shown me. Your engagement, likes, and
comments on my Instagram pages truly mean the world to me; your energy fuels my passion and
keeps me inspired every day,” according to the court filing.
The sender then invited the recipient to participate in what was described as “an exciting professional opportunity.”
Brown sent a cease-and-desist notice to the Gmail address several days later, but says she never received a reply.
On July 28, she warned her approximately 28,000 Instagram followers that someone was contacting artists while “pretending to be me.”
Over a career spanning two decades, Brown has produced hundreds of artworks. Her record-breaking sale came in 2025, when “High Society” fetched $9.81 million at a Sotheby’s auction in New York.
“I’m not inviting you to be in a group show and I’m really sorry if you’ve had an email from a scammer,” Brown said.
Representatives for Brown and Google did not respond to requests for comment.
