Ciruelo Denounces Plagiarism in a Work Exhibited at Malba

Ciruelo publicly denounced that a work exhibited at Malba identically reproduces one of his 2005 illustrations.
Renowned Argentine illustrator Gustavo Cabral, better known as Ciruelo, publicly denounced that a work exhibited at the Museum of Latin American Art in Buenos Aires (Malba) identically reproduces one of his 2005 illustrations, Dragon Caller, without any credit to its authorship.

"While visiting Malba, I came across a painting on display that seemed very similar to one of my 2005 paintings called Dragon Caller," the artist posted on social media, along with two comparative images: one of his original work and another of him posing in front of the one exhibited at Malba. The piece in question is part of the exhibition "The Devil's Exhumation" by artist Carrie Bencardino.

Bencardino acknowledged having been inspired by Ciruelo, although he defended his work and called it a "ghost." "I always cite you as my greatest reference when talking about that work. My exhibition largely revolves around the images that influenced me most when I was a teenager and beginning to take an interest in art," the artist noted on his social media.

The resemblance between the two pieces is evident: a dragon in flight occupies the center of the composition, with similar colors, position, and landscape. "At Malba, I didn't see any credit or reference to my work. She says she's been a fan of mine since we were young, but she didn't apologize. I would leave it at that," Ciruelo told La Nación.
Malba's Response

Following the controversy, Malba issued a statement defending the practice of appropriating and reinterpreting images as part of contemporary art. "It is common practice for artists to take other works, transform and reinterpret them to produce new creations, which in turn serve as inspiration for other artists," the institution stated. The museum noted that Bencardino's work "is informed by images found in books, magazines, album covers, music videos, the internet, and her personal archive," and that the artist works from a critical perspective on the circulation of images in contemporary culture.

Malba also stated that in interviews, guided tours, and the exhibition catalog, there is explicit reference to the influence of artists from the fantasy genre such as Ciruelo, Victoria Francés, Luis Royo, Boris Vallejo, and Magalí Villeneuve. "Exchange, disagreement, and discrepancy are always welcome within a framework of respect and empathy. At Malba, we repudiate any form of harassment or violence arising from these debates," the statement concluded.
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