American photgrapher Jim Krantz gained prominence for his iconic Marlboro advertisements capturing the rugged spirit of the American West. His work is characterized by its boldness, authenticity, and ability to elevate brands to iconic status.

His images were at one time entwined with controversy surrounding artist Richard Prince. Prince, renowned for his "appropriation art", notably borrowed Krantz's Marlboro advertisements for his own artistic endeavors without crediting Krantz. One of the Prince Marlboro pictures set an auction record for a photograph in 2005, selling for $1.2 million. Mr. Krantz, who has shot ads for the United States Marine Corps and a long list of Fortune 500 companies including McDonald’s, Boeing and Federal Express, said he had no intention of seeking money from or suing Mr. Prince, whose borrowings seem to be protected by fair use exceptions to copyright law. But with an exhibition at the Guggenheim — and the posters using his image on sale for $9.95 — he said he simply wanted viewers to know that “there are actually people behind these images, and I’m one of them.”

“I’m not a mean person, and I’m not a vindictive person,” he said. “I just want some recognition, and I want some understanding.”