Photographer challenges authenticity of Toronto Star contest winner's painting

A photographer whose images are posted on the public site Flickr says the painting that won the Toronto Star’s cover contest is a “reproduction” of his photo of two streetcars. Both the photo and the painting show a streetcar approaching on the left and another driving away on the right on a snow-covered street. Artist Kelley Turgeon admits she drew inspiration from Brian Labelle’s photo but says her acrylic painting is an original work of art. She offered her “sincerest apologies” for upsetting Labelle.
“That was one of the pictures that I looked at, but it was also one of dozens,” she says. “I’m sorry if I offended somebody — that wasn’t my intention. I spent hours painting this painting.”
Photographer Labelle says he deserves credit.
“The entire content of my photograph is in there. It’s exactly the same composition,” Labelle says. “It may be a copyright infringement.”
The winner of The Star’s first emerging artist cover contest was awarded $2,500. Turgeon’s impressionistic painting was also published on the newspaper’s front page on Christmas Eve.

The Star's prize winning acrylic painting:

The photograph:



Click on the title for The Star's story that also has a link to a heated discussion on Flckr.