Anastasia Beverly Hills, a cosmetics company, is being called out for stealing artwork from a Latinx trans queer photographer.
In a tweet thread, Jackye Gutierrez (@_chump), blasted Anastasia Beverly Hills and its president, Norvina (real name Claudia Soare), on Twitter for copying their work and not paying or crediting them.
“Hi all, I’m coming to you for help, I’m a brown, trans, queer photographer who has found out that @norvina1 and @ABHcosmetics have stolen/copied my art and have not given me credit or paid me for my work. They have taken something sacred from me,” Gutierrez wrote.
https://twitter.com/__chump/status/1179211959100567552
The photoshoot in question, which was posted to Anastasia Beverly Hills’ Instagram account, features Soare and is promoting one of the brand’s Norvina–of the same namesake–eyeshadow palettes.
Gutierrez pointed out numerous similarities between their work and the Anastasia Beverly Hills photoshoot, including the similar color scheme, Soare being surrounded by butterflies, and the fishbowl over her head.
“YOU LACK CREATIVITY THATS Y U TOOK MINE,” they wrote of their concept. “HOW DARE YOU TAKE MY ART AND USE IT AS YOUR NEW MAKE UP LINE. PAY ME!!!!!!”
https://twitter.com/__chump/status/1179217230342610945
https://twitter.com/__chump/status/1179214246476996610
Soare responded to Gutierrez’s accusation in a lengthy Instagram comment, where she claimed she didn’t know who they were and certainly didn’t copy their artwork. She also wrote that she was not the first person to think about putting a fishbowl on her head adding, “SpongeBob did it too.”
“Hello this is my first time finding out about you through all the comments,” Soare wrote. “I’m sorry you feel that you were copied when you were not. I have never seen your art before.”
Soare called Gutierrez’s work “absolutely gorgeous” but continued to defend herself.
“I have to be incredibly open and just say this is not what you’re assuming that it is,” Soare said. “I don’t copy people’s artwork, although I don’t think I am the first person to think about putting a fishbowl on my head, clearly as that idea is out there.”
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People following the thread quickly became divided over Gutierrez’s allegation. Some were convinced Soare’s work was a knock off, but others were more skeptical.
NAME AND NONE, the magazine for trans and nonbinary creators that Gutierrez did the photoshoot for, tweeted in support of the artist, even calling the brand’s alleged theft “disgusting.”
“Imagine all your hard work and soul put into this piece of art and someone decides to take it from you and use it to their advantage and they get all the credit because they are big, famous, and known,” Gutierrez wrote. “Yes, my art was copied/stolen and yes, you hurt my feelings and yes, I’m still very alive and well.”
The Daily Dot has reached out to Jackye Gutierrez, Claudia “Norvina” Soare, and Anastasia Beverly Hills for this story. Responses were not received by time of publication.
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