Turkish author Elif Shafak defends cover amid plagiarism claims

ISTANBUL

Hürriyet photo

Famous Turkish author Elif Shafak has defended the cover of her latest book, saying she had already shared the photo through her Twitter account months before it was used on the cover, daily Hürriyet has reported.

Shafak responded to claims of plagiarism via a written statement that highlighted her previous attempts to share the photo of the installation months before.

The best-selling author wrote that she had shared the photo last March, praising the "creative idea" behind it. She said she had later posted it on her Facebook account as well, telling her followers and fans that she would like to see more such artworks in Istanbul.

Hürriyet photo

"I already shared that inspirational photo with over 600,000 people on Twitter and over 300,000 on Facebook," Shafak said. "And yet despite all of this, there are people accusing us [of plagiarism], as if they have discovered something entirely new."

"The problem is not with the cover they see," Shafak added. "But with the veil that is over their eyes, and over their hearts."

The cover of Shafak's latest book, "Şemspare," is allegedly the replica of an art installation by artists Rafael Legidos Ibane and Mario Berna Box. Credited to Fethi İzan, the cover photo displays dozens of colorful umbrellas hanging in the air over a street in an old neighborhood.