A model accused a Russian artist of stealing her likeness and superimposing it onto a nude body without her consent: 'I would much rather be hate-crimed'

• Model Duan Mei Yue accused a Russian artist of using her face in a nude art piece without consent.
• Duan said she felt like the "world had crashed down on her" when she saw her face on a topless body.

A Singaporean model has accused a Russian artist of stealing her likeness and using it without her consent in a topless portrait displayed at a Moscow art festival.

Duan Mei Yue took to social media last week, posting a now-viral TikTok video to air her claim along with evidence she believes incriminates the artist, Angelina Poveteva.

In the video, Duan accuses Poveteva of creating a composite of her face with another model's face and selling the artwork for $10,000.

"I would much rather be hate-crimed," Duan said in the video.

The piece, which features two portraits of a figure with its head cocked sideways, was part of an October 2021 exhibit at the International Interactive Festival of Contemporary Art hosted by the ArtLife Academy in Moscow.

Duan was especially distraught because of the nudity in Poveteva's piece.

"I was 18 in the photo, and to see my 18-year-old self painted naked and then paraded around like that without my consent shattered me," Duan said in the video.

Although Duan has not been able to prove definitively that Poveteva used her face in her art piece, she said the similar expression and pose were enough for her to believe that Poveteva referenced her likeness without permission.

Duan provided Insider with several screenshots comparing the reference photo of her likeness to Poveteva's art, pointing out the close similarities between the two.

Duan told Insider that when she discovered the paintings, it felt like the "world had crashed down on her." She speculated that Poveteva had found her photo because it was popular on Pinterest.

However, Poveteva said that's not the case, and "only the angles in which the character stands are similar in the picture. All the facial features are completely different," she told Insider.

Duan was previously involved in a high-profile tussle on social media with a Singaporean artist, Allison Low, in 2021. Duan accused Low of heavily referencing her likeness in an art piece at a local fashion store that featured a disembodied head.

Poveteva maintained her innocence to Insider and said that after the model's video went viral on Tik Tok, Low reached out to her online and offered support.

Poveteva says Duan's accusations are a part of a hate campaign rooted in "Russophobia."

"No one has the right to do this," Poveteva said in a statement to Insider.

Poveteva did admit to using Photoshop in her art, but added that any likeness to Duan is merely a coincidence. She conceded, however, that she could have accidentally seen Duan's photo through Pinterest.

Alexandra Korban, the PR manager for the ArtLife fest, where the contentious artwork was displayed, distanced ArtLife from Poveteva, clarifying that the festival had "no legal and financial relation" to her art.

Korban added that ArtLife opposed "the negativity and bullying by subscribers and the audience of this conflict against both Angelina and Duan Mei Yue."

Duan wants to take action against Poveteva but said that lawyers have told her it's nearly impossible because of a Russian decree last month that eased restrictions on intellectual-property theft from countries considered hostile to the government, including Singapore.

"All I can do now is spread awareness about my story," Duan said.