Brooklyn-based artist Gavin Snider has accused TikTok-famous artist Devon Rodriguez of copying two of his paintings depicting New York Knicks fans and Madison Square Garden. Snider was hired by the Knicks' marketing agency in May to create a commemorative painting for the team's first NBA Finals appearance in 25 years, which was shared on the Knicks' social channels. After a friend alerted him, Snider discovered Rodriguez selling a piece on Instagram that he says looks "identical" to his work, with another earlier piece matching a previous Snider painting. Snider detailed in an Instagram post how his composition was built from 67 reference images, Google Street View, and other sources, calling the similarities "uncanny, almost traced." Rodriguez has since deleted the post and has not commented on the accusations.
This dispute matters because it highlights the power imbalance between a relatively unknown artist and a social media star with over 9 million followers, raising questions about originality, influence, and accountability in the digital art world. Rodriguez rose to fame on TikTok by sketching subway commuters and was signed by United Talent Agency, which staged a solo show for him in 2023 before closing its fine arts division. The case underscores how viral success can amplify accusations of appropriation and the challenges smaller artists face in protecting their work when a far larger platform is involved.