Stephy Tang’s second solo art exhibition has been marred by accusations of plagiarism, after two of her paintings were said to have similarities with the work of other painters.
The singer-actress recently showcased 15 of her paintings for public sale at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre in Wan Chai. The exhibition, called “Ever Near”, said Stephy, showcases the rich colour variations in her works that carry emotions — joy, tension, tranquillity, and resonance.
“Each painting has its own temperature; when they come together, they form a common pulse, a collective breath, inviting viewers to see themselves, the world, and all living beings when facing the works. My paintings are merely the medium that facilitates this encounter,” she said.
However, a number of netizens pointed out that they seemed to have seen two of her paintings before. One of the paintings, “Blue Pupil,” was said to bear a striking resemblance to the packaging of a certain eye drop brand, with netizens easily finding numerous works with similar compositions through image searches.
Another painting, titled “Coloured Withered Trees,” was further accused of being highly similar to a YouTube fluid painting tutorial video, with identical details ranging from the purple-blue background to the starlight embellishments.
“Using pupils as a subject is fine, anyone can draw them, but if you draw them exactly the same, what’s the point?” said one netizen.
“If having a mouth mean you can be a singer, now you can be a painter if you know how to hold a brush,” posted another.
