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World Famous Photographer Accuses Artist Of Ripping Off Her Work, Is Shocked By His Response
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World Famous Photographer Accuses Artist Of Ripping Off Her Work, Is Shocked By His Response

Interview World Famous Photographer Accuses Artist Of Ripping Off Her Work, Is Shocked By His ResponsePhotographer Calls Out Student For 'Ripping-Off' Her Work, Gets 'Mansplained' About Copyright Infringement InsteadArtist Rips Off World-Famous Photographer’s Work, Then Tries To Mansplain To Her How Copyright Infringement WorksGuy Allegedly Copies This Photographer’s Photo And Wins A 1,500 Euro Prize, So She Calls Him OutPhotographer Is In Shock After Learning Student 'Ripped-Off' Her Photo And Won A €1,500 Prize For It, Inspires Other Victims To Come ForwardGlobally Recognized Photographer Is Outraged That This Artist Ripped Off Her Photo, Won A Cash Prize, And Even Got His Work ExhibitedPhotographer Calls Out This Artist For Copying Her Photo In His Painting
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They say that imitation is the biggest form of flattery there is, but there’s no excuse for outright ripping off someone’s work and then reaping the financial rewards that come with that. There’s a pretty thin line between inspiration and copying. And though the line can get a bit blurred in some cases, it’s usually pretty clear when someone oversteps the bounds of polite ‘inspiration’ for commercial gain.

Well-known photographer Jingna Zhang has stated on Twitter that artist Jeff Dieschburg ripped off her photograph to make his oil painting. The painting went on to win a cash prize, was exhibited at the Strassen Stroossen Culture Center in Luxembourg, and was even presented to Princess Stéphanie. The painting is almost identical to the photograph, and apparently, this isn’t the first time that Dieschburg has pulled something like this. Photographer Bekka Björke has also had her work plagiarized.

The authorities are trying to defuse the tense situation, and the internet is absolutely outraged at what has happened. Scroll down to learn more about what happened, dear Pandas, and be sure to share your thoughts about it all in the comments. Do we have any artists reading this who have had their work plagiarized by others before? Tell us what happened and how you responded.

Bored Panda reached out to photographer Zhang and she was kind enough to answer our questions about why some people plagiarize the work of others and why educating students about copyrights is important. “Oftentimes, plagiarism and unauthorized use of photos are done mainly by those who are very young, students who don’t know better, people who think they can get away with it, or people who misunderstand fair use/transformative use and think it’s within their right to use anything found on the internet,” Zhang told us.

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We also got in touch with photographer Björke, who also had her work copied. She was kind enough to tell us more about what happened with Dieschburg. “I was tagged in the comments on Zhang’s original Instagram post after someone had looked at the offending painter’s own Instagram and recognized my work. By the time I was able to look, his Instagram was already deleted, but a little digging on Facebook found 2 of my own photographs that he had painted and exhibited. I wasn’t sure how to contact Dieschburg at this point as it had already escalated to mass internet outrage and he had already refuted Zhang’s claims, so I reached out to the organizations that the paintings were exhibited through, though only one responded,” she told Bored Panda.

More info: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | ZhangJingna.com

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Jingna Zhang is a world-famous photographer who creates stunning compositions. Recently, she had her work blatantly ripped off

Image credits: zemotion

The artist copied her photograph for his oil painting and then went on to reap the rewards

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Image credits: zemotion

Image credits: zemotion

Artist Jeff Dieschburg’s knock-off painting was featured in an exhibition, and he won a cash prize

Image credits: zemotion

Image credits: zemotion

The artist has a very peculiar understanding of where the line between inspiration and copying lies

Image credits: zemotion

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Image credits: artfinder

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Image credits: zemotion

Image credits: zemotion

In fact, this isn’t the first time that Dieschburg has copied the work of other professionals with only minor alterations

Image credits: zemotion

Dieschburg even lawyered up

Image credits: zemotion

The artist is clearly getting commercial gain from what he did

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Image credits: zemotion

Image credits: zemotion

Image credits: zemotion

Image credits: zemotion

Zhang’s photo has been seen around the world and is easily recognizable

Image credits: zemotion

Image credits: zemotion

Image credits: zemotion

According to photographer Zhang, there are some things that can be done to ensure that fewer people rip off the work of professionals. It all starts with good education in schools and universities.

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“To prevent this from happening, any schools with programs intersecting with intellectual property rights should implement copyright seminar days. If people are more exposed to the subject, it can help everyone be more informed and aware,” she told Bored Panda that raising awareness can help prevent similar situations in the future.

“Separately, people experienced in handling copyright infringement cases can also discuss such matters to help improve people’s understanding of the issues that artists face. These can be learning opportunities and reference points for both the public and for artists who undergo similar situations.”

Photographer Björke told us that the copying of Zhang’s work is “definitely upsetting.” What’s more, it’s “impressive” that someone had “the audacity to copy someone so internationally renowned.”

“Her photographs are well-loved and recognizable, not to mention shot for well-known publications, so it’s no surprise someone called it out. The fact that this particular copy was awarded prize money and esteem, I think, makes it much messier than my own tiny part in this story, so I hope credit can be given to Zhang where it is due, and arts organizations and exhibitions can take greater steps to vet their contestants,” she explained.

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“I don’t know what can be done to fully stop this happening in the future aside from more push to educate artists about what inspiration actually is and to empower them to explore their own ideas. Of course, there are legal ramifications depending on the who/what/where/when of a situation, but I think the larger question is an ethical one, and even begs the question of why does one make art in the first place? Where is the satisfaction in being praised for someone else’s work?” Björke said that ripping off someone else’s work for gain is unethical.

The photographer also shared her thoughts about why some creators copy other professionals. “I’d hope artists who copy other artists just don’t know any better and thus have the capacity to learn and grow beyond that to realize their own vision, though, of course, that’s not always the case. Personally, I view inspiration as the feeling a work of art elicits in you, and as an artist trying to recreate that feeling through your own work—maybe the theme, the story, the visual rhythm, the color palette, etc.—but when recreating someone else’s work entirely you’re not telling your own story, you’re using someone else’s personal visual language entirely,” she said.

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“Master studies can be a fantastic learning tool for artists, and doing so for personal use, or basing something on work by living artists and asking them permission first, is all absolutely fine. I even think there is room in the world for art that depicts or alludes to other art to make an intentional statement about an original, or to explore things like context and societal importance, but in situations like this the work isn’t doing that: it’s benefiting purely off the merit of and skill put into the original photograph and trying to pass it off as its own,” she explained the difference between inspiration and copying.

The long and short of it is that Dieschburg’s painting is clearly derivative of Zhang’s work and she was not credited.

Photographer Zhang believes it’s perfectly fine that art students use her work for inspiration. However, she draws the line at her photos being plagiarized. Worse still, Dieschburg clearly has financial motives in mind. He won a 1.5k euro prize, has been raking in the glory, and has even put his painting up for sale for 6.5k euros.

Obviously, the situation’s pretty tense right now. Dieschburg has a very peculiar understanding of how copyright infringement works and tried to mansplain this to Zhang. Meanwhile, his lawyer believes that he’s being persecuted unfairly. The Luxembourgish municipality of Strassen is trying to solve the issue and defuse the tension.

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“There are lots of legally free images and tools online people can use for references. Just because I or other creators share our work online, it doesn’t mean that our work is suddenly free for all to exploit,” Zhang explained on social media that just because creators share their work online doesn’t mean that they’re ripe for exploitation.

“To see someone praised, awarded, winning prize money, and shamelessly doing interviews while claiming credit despite copying so much of another person’s work… the audacity and utter disrespect. I don’t know how someone begins to think that this is ok and is something they can be proud of. I’m so speechless I can’t even begin to process what to do. Just insane,” she writes.

The work that Dieschburg copied is one of five covers that Zhang did for Harper’s Bazaar Vietnam in November 2017. The photographer said that she has been overwhelmed by the support and offers of help she’s received from people all around the world in the wake of the plagiarism scandal. “Your warmth makes going through these dark days a little more possible, I wish I can visit Luxembourg and enjoy this beautiful country under better circumstances one day,” she wrote on Instagram.

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Zhang, born in Beijing and raised in Singapore, currently works in New York, Los Angeles, and Seattle. She was named on the Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia list in 2018, and her work has appeared on the covers and pages of Vogue China, Vogue Japan, Harper’s Bazaar China, and Elle Singapore, and elsewhere.

Here’s how some Twitter users reacted to the plagiarism of Zhang’s photo

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Jonas Grinevičius

Jonas Grinevičius

Writer, BoredPanda staff

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Storytelling, journalism, and art are a core part of who I am. I've been writing and drawing ever since I could walk—there is nothing else I'd rather do. My formal education, however, is focused on politics, philosophy, and economics because I've always been curious about the gap between the ideal and the real. At work, I'm a Senior Writer and I cover a broad range of topics that I'm passionate about: from psychology and changes in work culture to healthy living, relationships, and design. In my spare time, I'm an avid hiker and reader, enjoy writing short stories, and love to doodle. I thrive when I'm outdoors, going on small adventures in nature. However, you can also find me enjoying a big mug of coffee with a good book (or ten) and entertaining friends with fantasy tabletop games and sci-fi movies.

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Jonas Grinevičius

Jonas Grinevičius

Writer, BoredPanda staff

Storytelling, journalism, and art are a core part of who I am. I've been writing and drawing ever since I could walk—there is nothing else I'd rather do. My formal education, however, is focused on politics, philosophy, and economics because I've always been curious about the gap between the ideal and the real. At work, I'm a Senior Writer and I cover a broad range of topics that I'm passionate about: from psychology and changes in work culture to healthy living, relationships, and design. In my spare time, I'm an avid hiker and reader, enjoy writing short stories, and love to doodle. I thrive when I'm outdoors, going on small adventures in nature. However, you can also find me enjoying a big mug of coffee with a good book (or ten) and entertaining friends with fantasy tabletop games and sci-fi movies.

Mindaugas Balčiauskas

Mindaugas Balčiauskas

Author, BoredPanda staff

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I'm a visual editor at Bored Panda. I kickstart my day with a mug of coffee bigger than my head, ready to tackle Photoshop. I navigate through the digital jungle with finesse, fueled by bamboo breaks and caffeine kicks. When the workday winds down, you might catch me devouring bamboo snacks while binging on the latest TV show, gaming or I could be out in nature, soaking up the tranquility and communing with my inner panda.

Read less »

Mindaugas Balčiauskas

Mindaugas Balčiauskas

Author, BoredPanda staff

I'm a visual editor at Bored Panda. I kickstart my day with a mug of coffee bigger than my head, ready to tackle Photoshop. I navigate through the digital jungle with finesse, fueled by bamboo breaks and caffeine kicks. When the workday winds down, you might catch me devouring bamboo snacks while binging on the latest TV show, gaming or I could be out in nature, soaking up the tranquility and communing with my inner panda.

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Aboredpanda
Community Member
2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

He really needs to learn how to take his own photos to base his work off, like I used to do when I painted/drew professionally. Or else buy the rights or get permission like a proper adult. It's fine for a fan to copy a work as practice, but to SELL that copy as fine art disgusts me on a personal level. The photographer copied has arranging those photos as their job and income. Don't infringe.

D Battle II
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

You are 100% correct! He could use a camera on a cell phone for a reference picture!

Load More Replies...
UpupaEpops
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

What a c**t. He has all the technical knowledge I could ever ask for and this is how he's using it?

Cold Contagious
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Him being called out in the newspaper is sweet justice. Maybe not the entirety that the photographer deserves but it's a start.

Load More Replies...
CLG
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Not certain if I can post links, but the petition to revoke this guy's prize can be found here: https://chng.it/v8wcqX4StQ

Load More Comments
Aboredpanda
Community Member
2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

He really needs to learn how to take his own photos to base his work off, like I used to do when I painted/drew professionally. Or else buy the rights or get permission like a proper adult. It's fine for a fan to copy a work as practice, but to SELL that copy as fine art disgusts me on a personal level. The photographer copied has arranging those photos as their job and income. Don't infringe.

D Battle II
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

You are 100% correct! He could use a camera on a cell phone for a reference picture!

Load More Replies...
UpupaEpops
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

What a c**t. He has all the technical knowledge I could ever ask for and this is how he's using it?

Cold Contagious
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Him being called out in the newspaper is sweet justice. Maybe not the entirety that the photographer deserves but it's a start.

Load More Replies...
CLG
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Not certain if I can post links, but the petition to revoke this guy's prize can be found here: https://chng.it/v8wcqX4StQ

Load More Comments
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