All art must be inspired by something— but when does that inspiration cross the line into theft? Artists and experts get real about plagiarism hitting the palette
The painting was inspired by a video, posted on Living Lchaim, in which the camera follows one soldier as he hugs some chareidi men operating food stations at what seems to be an army base. After watching the video, Chani says she couldn’t stop thinking about it, particularly one frame where two men hug.
Although the frame she focused on wasn’t a clear shot, it was enough for her. She felt compelled to paint it, and describes the ensuing creativity it fostered, “pure inspiration,” that came straight from the heart.
“It didn’t take long to paint,” Chani says. “I saw it on Friday, painted it on Motzaei Shabbos, and finished it Sunday morning.”
After posting it a few hours later, it went viral, and by the end of the day, the painting had sold. She’d also made some prints available for purchase, and contributed half of the profits to tzedakah.
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