Anish Kapoor alleges plagiarism of Cloud Gate sculpture in Chinese public artwork

Anish Kapoor has raised plagiarism allegations against a newly created public sculpture in Karamay, northwest China, due to its striking similarity to his 2006 work Cloud Gate in Chicago. The Chinese sculpture, described as representing a giant 'oil bubble', acknowledges the location's history as the site of the town's first oil well. Cloud Gate, popularly known as 'the bean', was installed in Chicago in 2006. The Karamay artwork is constructed from stainless steel and was about to be unveiled when Kapoor's complaint emerged. The BBC reported on Kapoor's plagiarism complaint, while People's Daily Online provided details about the sculpture's symbolism. David Shrigley has commented on Cloud Gate in audio content that may contain sniggering. The controversy highlights intellectual property concerns in public art across international borders.