Moneymaking collusion of art circle exposed

Editor's note: Christian Silvain, a Belgian artist, has censured Ye Yongqing, a professor of oil painting at the Chongqing-based Sichuan Fine Arts Institute, for plagiarizing his works for more than 30 years. China Fine Arts Web comments in its WeChat account:

It is beyond doubt that Ye has plagiarized Silvain's works. It cannot be explained as "deep influence" as Ye claims, because he has simply copied Silvain's thoughts, originality and even techniques. Ye has brazenly robbed Silvain of both his ideas and the execution of those ideas and then publicized and sold them as his own.

Statistics show the total transaction price of Ye's auctioned works that have been so-called deeply influenced by those of Silvain over the past 30 years hit more than 100 million yuan ($14.91 million). It is ridiculous that some plagiarized works by Ye sold for 100 times more than the originals by Silvain. In many places around the world, Ye is better known than the artist who "influences him at a deep level".

Plagiarism, as Silvain said, is a moral issue. But it also reflects a worrisome orientation of the art market in China－money. Ye is only one example of artists who have been led by the nose in their pursuit of quick money and fame.

The price of artworks created by some modern artists is much higher than their true artistic value. The influx of large amounts of hot money into the market has turned more people's heads and many in the fine arts circle exhaust all means to seek quick money.

Galleries, dealers, curators, brokers and auction houses, even his employer are all pushing hands in the business. Predictably, they have all turned a blind eye to Ye's plagiarism.

Plagiarism is a breach of other people's intellectual property rights that are protected by laws. The case is a test stone for China's protection of intellectual property rights.