Apopka mural sparks plagiarism allegation dispute

Apopka mural sparks plagiarism dispute

A new mural in downtown Apopka has drawn accusations of plagiarism after an artist from Iowa claimed the design closely resembled her earlier work.

APOPKA, Fla. - A new mural in downtown Apopka has drawn accusations of plagiarism after an artist from Iowa claimed the design closely resembled her earlier work.

What we know:

Ridge Bonnick, a local artist, painted a new mural in downtown Apopka that closely resembles another artist’s work. The mural was commissioned by Main Street Apopka, and Bonnick says he was following the agency’s directions without knowing the design’s origin. 

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After the similarity was noticed, Bonnick added the original artist’s name to the mural.

What we don't know:

It remains unclear whether Main Street Apopka provided Bonnick with the design or knew it closely mirrored another artist’s work. The agency’s executive director declined to comment directly on this question.

The backstory:

The controversy began after Iowa artist Jenna Brownlee accused Bonnick and Main Street Apopka of copying her mural. Social media posts from the agency acknowledged the resemblance and said they are in contact with Brownlee to provide fair recognition and compensation.

What they're saying:

The City of Apopka said it was not involved in the mural project and is reviewing its relationship with Main Street Apopka to decide how to proceed. 

"My role was to carry out their vision and go by their direction," said Ridge Bonnick. "[I] trusted that they took care of everything on the back end so I could do what they wanted me to do."

"We are now in direct communication with Mrs. Brownlee to properly acknowledge her work and provide fair compensation," Main Street Apopka wrote in a statement.

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