Conflict Between Art-Dealing Brothers Erupts in Assault Accusations

A legal conflict between two art-dealing New York brothers over the names of their respective businesses has escalated from accusations of breach of contract to allegations of physical assault. 

An October 21, 2025 complaint filed by Harry Hutchison against Projjal Dutta and Aicon Contemporary says that on April 11, Hutchison was at work on the second floor at 35 Great Jones Street in New York when he was “accosted” by Dutta. “He was assaulted, beaten, and battered” by Dutta, says the complaint, causing “severe and permanent injuries” and “pain, shock, and mental anguish” as well as considerable medical expenses and the loss of the ability to “perform his normal activities.”

In a response, Projjal Dutta’s attorney states that as the defendant, Dutta “reasonably believed that [Hutchison] was using or was about to use unlawful physical force against Defendant, and if Defendant used force, he used only such force as Defendant reasonably believed to be necessary to protect himself from imminent harm.” 

Dutta claims that Hutchison actually “shoved, battered, and assaulted Dutta,” causing his own “severe and permanent injuries.” He claims Hutchison knowingly made false claims to the police after the incident, and notes that Dutta was arrested and arraigned based on Hutchison’s false claims. On June 13, the case against Dutta was “adjourned in contemplation of dismissal,” notes the complaint, meaning that if Dutta meets the court’s requirements and stays out of trouble, the case can be dismissed and the charges sealed.

Urgent Matter reported earlier on the new competing accusations.

Aicon Gallery was in operation for 20 years before the dueling brothers, Prajit and Projjal Dutta, parted ways in 2019. Aicon Contemporary, represented by Projjal Dutta, filed a suit in New York Supreme Court in October against defendants Prajit Dutta and director Hutchison, representing Aicon Art as well as ArtsIndia.com. The suit alleges false designation of origin, unfair competition, breach of fiduciary duty, and breach of contract, based on the defendants’ “misleading and unlawful” use of the name Aicon without the word Art attached to it, as they had reportedly agreed to do. The galleries share a place of business on Great Jones Street as well as, per their respective websites, a phone number.

Both Duttas did not respond to ARTnews’s requests for comment.