GEORGE TOWN, Nov 25 — Lithuanian artist Ernest Zacharevic has said today that he will go as far as it takes to put a stop to low-cost carrier AirAsia using his artwork without his consent.
The artist, who shot to fame after his series of murals in Penang became well-known, said it was not the first time this had happened.
“I am hoping to resolve this quickly with AirAsia, but should such effort proves futile, I am willing to go as far as it takes to put a stop to this for good,” he told Malay Mail in an email interview.
Yesterday, Zacharevic posted a picture of an AirAsia airplane at the Penang International Airport that has a copy of his mural “Children On Bicycle” decorating the forward part of the fuselage behind the cockpit.
He had tagged the airline and its founder Tan Sri Tony Fernandes in the post with one line: “I think we need to talk...”.
“This is not the first time it happens, and it’s time that a corporate giant like AirAsia demonstrates corporate responsibilities and respect for rights of artists and intellectual property,” he added.
He added that his team is also reaching out to AirAsia regarding the issue, but it was “difficult to get through the many corporate layers to the correct person.”
“We are also hoping that AirAsia will contact me via my studio at ZACH Studio, [email protected] or [email protected],” he said.
He said he is not sure how many of AirAsia’s planes featured his artwork without his consent, but he saw the first one at the Penang International Airport on November 22.
“I am guessing there are a few of them,” he said.
Malay Mail contacted AirAsia for its response, but has not received any reply at the time of writing.
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