10 Bojack references only the original writer would get
It has come to The Moviegoer’s attention that two of our articles have been plagiarized in a similar article on a website called The Daily Art Magazine by writer and founder, Zuzanna Stanska, and subsequently appeared as a featured article on The A.V. Club.
The plagiarized article, “All Art in Bojack Horseman we could find gathered in one place”, appeared almost a year following the publication of our articles, and lifted entire full paragraphs, jokes, and writing style as well as months of original research without any acknowledgement.
We cannot express our disappointment enough in both the editorial team at The Daily Art and Zuzanna herself. Put simply, the level of similarity observed does not happen by accident and the wholesale plagiarizing of articles is patently embarrassing.
Below are all of the observed instances of plagiarism:
Basquiat
“As a parallel to Haring’s work in Bojack’s home, hung in Herb’s office are works of Jean-Michel Basquiat. Both Haring and Basquiat were prominent in the 80s, fitting into the show’s love for overt time-period references. But also, the two artist were also close friends, similar to Bojack and Herb.“
Bellows
“A realist painter and part of the Ashcan School, George Bellows is recognized for depicting daily lives of New Yorkers, particularly of underground boxing matches. Instead of two boxers the painting has been parodied as a fight between Ahab and Moby Dick. “
Chagall
“The subjects in the painting are Chagall and his wife Bella before they married, floating in the air and craning his neck to kiss his future bride. According to Sarah Lynn the painting is made of LSD, and the painting is just as trippy as the visions LSD will give them. However, this intimate moment of euphoric love is something Bojack and Sarah Lynn have never found, a thought they need drugs to escape from.“
Haring
“A series of Keith Haring paintings are hung around Bojack’s apartment during the flashback (which are no longer there in the present) of him finding out his best friend Herb Kazzaz is gay. One of the most prolific artists of the 80s, his work addressed homosexuality, the politics around it, and the rise of AIDS. “
Hockney
“Hockney moved from Great Britain to California in the 1960s and later moved into a canyon house, much like Bojack. Hockney became known for paintings featuring swimming pools which were a rarity in Britain, but so abundant in Los Angeles that people take them for granted. In a way, Hockney commented on the ubiquity of swimming pools as a facade, rather than a representation, of the luxurious and relaxed Californian life.“
Manet
“This caused much debate as to the piece’s artistic merits, just as BoJack questions the merits of Abe’s work. But of course it wouldn’t be Bojack without some sort of visual gag. Those who are familiar with the original by Manet will notice that the small cat in the corner is anthropomorphized in the show. "
Millais
“Like Bojack’s home, the paintings drawn above Sarah Lynn’s bed and in her living room reflect her personality. With arms open like a martyr, the painting hung above Sarah Lynn’s bed depicts the tragic off screen death of Ophelia in Shakespeare’s Hamlet. Like Ophelia, Sarah Lynn is a victim of her own self- destructive and unstable nature. If you’ve watched this episode, you know why this painting is here.”
Mosaic
“The roman style mosaic hung over Bojack’s bathroom is typical of ones found in the home of aristocrats. Typically used as an expression of wealth and power, the mosaic is shown during one of Bojack’s insecure moments as he waits to find out whether his film was a success. The mosaic expresses his need for images that reinforce his importance in moments of doubt.
Rivera
“Rivera was active member within the Mexican Communist party, whose works depict the struggles of the working class. The high selling prices of Rivera’s works are controversial for how they’ve become part of the capitalist system the artist rebelled against. That irony is further embraced by the show, hanging it in an overpriced restaurant in Beverly Hills which Bojack parties at after finding out his film is a success. “
Warhol
“The first major painting we’re introduced to is actually in the opening credits, the painting of the horseshoes above his bed, which is a clear homage to the works of Andy Warhol. Warhol used repetition to show the ubiquity of images in the media. “
Timeline:
“8 Bojack References only an Art History Major would get”: 2/15/17
“10 More References only an Art History Major would get”: 2/21/17
Reposted to original writer’s blog: 10/30/17
Daily Art Magazine: 2/19/18
As of this article’s posting, Zuzanna has been reached for comment, though has yet to reply. Comments on The Daily Art’s Facebook pointing out the plagiarism were subsequently marked as spam.
EDIT 2/24 The A.V. Club article has been updated to credit the author.
EDIT 2/25 The plagiarized article has since been updated to "remove" the most flagrant instances by rearranging some of the sentences. However, the majority of the stolen work remains and with no public acknowledgement or the DailyArt for her infringements.
