Saying what needs to be said

There is a disturbing trend out there and I’m seeing it more and more frequently these days. It’s a trend that begins with the dreaded ‘P’ word. It is what expelled countless students from colleges for dishonouring the honour code of conduct. It is the threat under which all shuddered, carefully covering their bases, crossing their ’t’s and dotting their ‘i’s, in silent libraries, over towers of books and florescent lighting, with the faint smell of coffee in the air. We made absolutely sure that the ideas that we espoused were our own and not ‘borrowed’ from elsewhere. And, if it so came to be that we did use another’s ideas, quotation marks and references were provided. 

Plagiarism. 

The Oxford Dictionary states the definition of Plagiarism as,

'The practice of taking someone's work and ideas and passing them off as one's own.'

Wikipedia says,
'Plagiarism is the "wrongful appropriation" and "stealing and publication" of another author's "language, thoughts, ideas, or expressions" and the representation of them as one's own original work. The modern concept of plagiarism as immoral. Plagiarism is considered academic dishonesty and a breach of journalistic ethics. It is subject to sanctions like penalties, suspension, and even expulsion.Plagiarism is not a crime per se but in academia and industry, it is a serious ethical offence…’

In other words, it is wrong to copy another’s work and pass it off as your own!

Imagine this, an artist produces an art work and presents it. When people see it, they see it in isolation, as part of a show or a single painting. In reality, that painting or sculpture or photograph or writing, was a single step in a long long journey, a journey that started the very first time a pen or a pencil was picked up in their hand. There is history in the art work, a past, both personal and technical. There is hours of labour, of thought, that goes into the creation of it. It is birthed out of refining and re-defining ideas and thoughts to make the most effective presentation.

 A viewer may see two circles and a slash of red paint, but believe me, there is a story behind that painting. That painting has evolved to that point after a series of experiments. If you want to know, ask me and I’ll tell you. But be prepared to sit though a talk…a long one. You see, my work and the work of any artist is not just a thing. It lives it’s own life and breaths it’s own truth. 

Simply said, when you plagiarise someones work, and I’ll simplify it further, I mean copy it, even if you change the colours, or the composition slightly, you will eventually be found out. Hold artists accountable. Ask them why they made what they did. Just to express their feelings, is not a valid answer. If they can’t talk about what they made or wrote, as yourself, why? 

In a way it doesn’t matter, as those that are inspired, pull from a fountain of overflowing ideas. Some artists, like me, feel we don’t have enough time to do all we want to do. Nevertheless, be respectful. While its okay to be inspired by someones work, please do not, and I say this humbly, with folded hands, copy it.