I have to admit, I hadn’t really given much thought to things like plagiarism until now.
But while looking through the newly added murals, I stumbled upon a brazen copy that outraged me so much that I immediately started doing some research.
A work by @Supakim has been added in Bergen that I consider to be nothing more than a plagiarism of a piece by the Cologne-based artist SEILEISE.
How should we respond to something like this?
I believe that when we notice something of this sort, we cannot simply let it stand without comment—even if the artist themselves doesn’t ask us to!
That’s why I left a comment on the newly added mural. But is that enough? Should we even be listing something like this? A hunter in Norway wouldn’t be able to recognize it; if they aren’t familiar with the Cologne scene, they wouldn’t know anything about SEILEISE’s work. Incidentally, the artist has already responded today: https://www.instagram.com/p/Dbx2wPVjG1S/?img_index=1
What do you think?
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I think we should list and then comment as you did. Calling out the plagiarism may shame the “artist” from doing it again?
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He HAS done it again! https://streetartcities.com/markers/42d10ac8-4341-4f0c-98fc-f7a234164819 . I have left a comment but it doesn’t feel to be enough. I’m reall< pissed off!
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Thanks for raising this and for looking closely at the work.When murals resemble existing pieces, it’s important for us to acknowledge that and look into it. At the same time, hunters document what they see locally, they can’t always know when a mural resembles something created elsewhere. Documentation is not endorsement, and we don’t expect hunters to identify every artistic reference or potential conflict.
Street Art Cities cannot take a legal or authoritative position on whether a work constitutes plagiarism. What we can do is ensure transparency. We should inform both artists about the concerns raised so they are aware of the discussion, and we will add contextual information to the artwork page so viewers understand the situation and the artist’s response.
Thanks again for bringing this forward. Careful, respectful dialogue helps us maintain fairness, transparency, and integrity across the global street art community.
Curious to other opinions and advice…
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I got into street art because I had a side project where I was photographing how my city was changing. It was less about photographing the individual pieces and more about how the area has evolved. So I’m seeing this from a documentary photography viewpoint.
This is a genuinely tricky area, and something I personally have struggled with. I believe that capturing new street art is important; the overall goal of Street Art Cities is to document the changing street art scene. However posting can be seen as endorsement, and giving extra attention to bad behaviour.
I reckon the best way to approach it is to add a short notice in the description. Keep it neutral and factual. “This artwork shows similarities to X artwork posted on X date.” It lets the visitor make up there own mind about the artwork without being accused of bias. If people see it enough times then the pattern becomes obvious.
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