‘Frustrating, upsetting’: S'porean photographer accuses Luxembourg artist of copying her work to win award

SINGAPORE — A Singaporean photographer has accused an artist based in Luxembourg of copying her work as part of a painting, which he later displayed at an exhibition and won a cash prize of €1,500 (S$2,200) for it. 

The photographer, 34-year-old Zhang Jingna, told TODAY: “It's frustrating and upsetting, especially when I was told that this artwork had won a prize and he was proudly claiming full credit for the work and doing press with it.”

Ms Zhang, who is also known as "zemotion" on her social media accounts, is based in the United States. She was listed in the Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia list in 2018 and her works have appeared in multiple editions of fashion magazines Elle and Vogue.

Ms Zhang's photo and Mr Dieschburg's work are strikingly similar, but with slight differences such as the colour of the model’s clothes and the direction she is facing. 

Delano, an English language publication for expatriates living in Luxembourg, reported that the jury who awarded the prize is consulting a "specialist" over the allegation of plagiarism.