Being on the internet today means being inundated with each other’s takes and images every second of every day. With this relentless overexposure, the visual similarities that pop up amongst artists can often inspire loud accusations of creative copying. Sure, these are often silly moments of internet fodder, but they raise meaningful questions: Are visual similarities between artists coincidence, inspiration, or creative theft? And what’s the real line between each?
Earlier this week, New York City artist Alexandra Drewchin, who goes by Eartheater, posted a since-deleted Instagram carousel that appeared to show evidence of other artists ripping off her work. Sharing the album cover to her 2020 album Phoenix: Flames Are Dew Upon My Skinwhich depicts a blaze of sparkles shooting out from her rear end, she followed that with a recent picture of Robyn with a blurred bottom also emanating sparkles. She posted another similar photo concept from electronic artist LSDXOXO on the cover of King Kong magazine.
The online reaction to the carousel, which also implicated Katy Perry and Megan Thee Stallion, was immediately unsparing, accusing Drewchin of falsely claiming ownership over broad visual concepts like utilizing sparklers and the use of text on garments. Sure, it’s entirely possible that Robyn saw Drewchin’s photos and was inspired to do the same. But how would one go to prove that, and would it even be an ethical misstep?
