[Cosey]

Last year while studying for my MA in Fine Art my work was frequently compared to a german artist I had never heard of. I did check her out and I could see what they meant but there was little available about her in English so just kind of forgot about her.

During my course I made a series of drawings and prints which got a kind of meh response as the tutors where really pushing me to focus on other aspects of my practice.

Now today got an email from a friend from the course with a link to new work by the artist I was previously compared to. She has a show of her new work done after I made my drawings and prints and they are very, very similar to the work I made last year. Some are almost identical and I am really freaked out. Obviously I know there is no way she would have seen my work and she made her work after me so I haven't copied her we just must have a lot in common creatively.

In someways this is quite exciting as she is quite successful but on the other hand it makes me feel that sombody more successful than me is already out their doing what i do so perhaps that means there is no room for me or that I'll be accused of ripping her off.

Also it is a bit annoying to make such similar work last years then have it kind of overlooked and then when someone a bit famous does pretty much the same thing everyone goes gaga over it. As if being successful already ensures your work will be well received.

Anyway, I am kind of afraid to look at anymore of this artists work as we seem to have too much in common. I am of the opinion that an artist cannot really choose the work they make, that they can't really contrive it but must instead make they work that comes to them naturally. So I don't feel I can really change my work just because it is a lot like another artists work.

Anybody else had this happen to them and how would you deal with it?

[Aarroonnn]

Not the extent of yours, but i've found several creatives who produce work with the same concept and aesthetics to which i like to work. I understand what you mean, you don't want people to think you're copying them. The only advice i can give is to do what you want with your work. Continue progressing and your work will ultimatley change. Thinking of it on the positive side, your work is similar to someone who is very relevant and well respected i imagine. Therefore you're probably on the right lines to being a good contemporary practitioner.