Comments by Chicago’s mayor Rahm Emanuel have led to British sculptor Anish Kapoor issuing a strongly-worded statement on the subject of plagiarism, copyright and creativity.
The move follows the revelation last week that an unauthorised copy of Kapoor’s Cloud Gate sculpture in Chicago – nicknamed ‘the Bean’ – is set to be unveiled this month in the Chinese city of Karamay.
The piece bears a pretty indisputable likeness to Kapoor’s stainless steel sculpture, which has stood in the AT&T Plaza at Millennium Park, Chicago, since 2006.
This, however, hasn’t stopped the authorities in Karamay dismissing accusations of plagiarism. The Chinese sculpture, according to an official quoted on the Wall Street Journal’s China Real Time blog, “looks like an oil bubble,” whereas Kapoor’s sculpture “has a bean shape.” We invite you to spot the difference.
Kapoor initially responded to news of the sculpture with a call for the Mayor of Chicago to support him in pursuing the matter in the courts. Emanuel, however, appears rather more relaxed about the affair, telling the Chicago Sun-Times: “‘Imitation is the greatest form of flattery’ is what I would say. And if you want to see original artwork like this or like the Bean, you come to Chicago.”
Kapoor has issued a fresh statement in direct response to Emanuel. He said: “I feel myself to be an honorary citizen of your great city of Chicago… I am therefore astonished at your statements about the Chinese copy of the sculpture Cloud Gate as that of an act of flattery. I urge you to stand by my side and fight plagiarism.
“I feel compelled to ask what other businesses and innovators from Chicago have had their copyrighted material stolen in a similar way? Will you call this flattery, too?
Creativity in all walks of life is hard won. It is incorrect to accept that we should allow for it to be undermined or stolen and therefore give it little or no value. Chicago will lose from this thievery. We cannot let this happen.”
