Artist Ernest Zacharevic sues AirAsia over unauthorised use of Penang mural
Zacharevic said the airline’s compensation offer failed to ‘reflect the value’ of his work, accusing the company of exploiting his creations
Lithuanian artist Ernest Zacharevic is taking legal action against AirAsia for using his famous mural of children on a bicycle, painted in Penang, as livery on one of its aircraft without his consent.
In a Facebook post titled “AirAsia Update: It’s Time to Talk”, Zacharevic said the Malaysia-based airline’s final offer failed to “reflect the value” of his work despite his efforts to seek an amicable resolution. He added that AirAsia also failed to address repeated unauthorised use of his artwork in its promotional materials.
“Two months ago, I posted a video of an AirAsia aircraft featuring my mural – used without my consent. Unfortunately, this isn’t the first time,” Zacharevic wrote on Friday.
“Over the years, my murals have appeared in AirAsia’s email campaigns, advertisements, in-flight magazines, and more – all without proper credit, consent, or compensation.
“This repeated behaviour sets a harmful precedent – that artists’ work can be exploited without consequence. It’s not just about me – it affects the entire artistic community,” he said.
Zacharevic noted that he has attempted to resolve the matter professionally, but AirAsia’s response has been unsatisfactory.
