📰 This official statement by Montenegrin artist Darko Drljević, in which he responds to the controversy surrounding his latest work, the winner of the Press Cartoon Award in Portugal.
Below is the full text of the statement as published by the artist:
Since there has been an uproar these days about the "plagiarism" of my winning work in Portugal, it's time for me to speak out. I never need help from anyone for an idea, because my brain works 100%, I have received over three hundred awards around the world, and I always create independently.
Suddenly, a work appeared that was said to be similar, which was drawn eight years ago without any proof. This photograph, which others have intervened in, had not been seen by me until now and had not appeared elsewhere. That's right, like the moon is not visible until the sunlight shines on it...
My work is created about two years ago. In the first edition, it was Frankenstein, which I embroidered with Trump's signatures, but later I came up with a better idea with the Statue of Liberty. This work was first published on the state television portal, which can be easily checked at: rtcg.me. Later, in March 2025, I published this work in the magazine "Monitor" which I sent together with the works to the festival competition in Portugal.
As for the winning work of my esteemed colleague from Turkey Demirici, as far as I can see, the news about it was published at the end of May. So it was a little later than I sent my works. It is possible that he drew it at the same time as me. But, I would never call it plagiarism, because I know that he is a great artist and never deals with such things.
His work is even shown with a needle and thread, like mine, and not with a signature pasted on the mouth of a photograph that, when enlarged, looks nothing like anything. So does Desmacher think that this scribble of his would be noticed at a competition? And how can an artist be so easily attacked for being a plagiarist, and not for having a similar idea? That's not how it works.
Only those People, will react and support him like that. But they are the most dangerous and loudest critics. Let them, let them advertise themselves and do other people's business in this way, and I will continue to work and create and win world awards as before! In the prologue, I am also sending my original work - the sketch from which my winning work was created.
Alas, my comrades, you have struck a stronger blow.
As the great Montenegrin bishop and poet Njegoš said, "A hard nut is a strange fruit, it does not break it, but it breaks your teeth".
Cartoonist Darko Drljević