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AirAsia accused of using Penang mural as plane livery without artist's permission
The artist reportedly said he would try to resolve this matter with AirAsia directly first.
AirAsia has been accused of using a popular mural in Penang as livery on one of its planes without the artist's permission.
The artist, Ernest Zacharevic, a Lithuanian based in Penang who is behind the "Children on a Bicycle" artwork, also posted a photo of the plane in question in an Instagram story on Nov. 22, reported The Straits Times.
In the caption, Zacharevic wrote, "I think we need to talk."
He tagged AirAsia's and the airline's chief executive officer (CEO) Tony Fernandes' Instagram accounts.
Image via Oriental Daily Malaysia
Artist planned on resolving issue with AirAsia directly first
Speaking to ST, Zacharevic shared that he was first made aware of AirAsia's usage of his artwork on its plane via an Instagram story posted by his friend.
When he saw the plane in question on Nov. 22 at Penang International Airport, he took a photo and posted it on Instagram.
However, this incident was apparently not the first time AirAsia had used Zacharevic's artworks without approaching him and seeking his permission.
According to Zacharevic, he had reached out to the airline previously, "but there was no positive outcome".
Nevertheless, he stated that he would not resort to legal means to safeguard his rights for now.
Instead, he planned on resolving this matter with AirAsia directly first, shared Zacharevic.
Mothership has reached out to AirAsia for comments.
Background
"Children on a Bicycle" is one of the murals that Zacharevic painted along the streets in Penang in 2012 that aimed to capture its idyllic lifestyle, according to ST.
Amongst these paintings, four of them were restored in October 2024, namely "Children on a Bicycle", "Boy on Chair", "Boy on a Bike", and "Little Boy with a Pet Dinosaur".
The restoration works, which were partially documented on Zacharevic's Instagram, included touching up the murals' colours and cleaning the walls they were on.
The process of restoring the murals also prompted Zacharevic to launch his artworks as limited edition prints for the first time in 12 years.
In an Oct. 24 Instagram post, Zacharevic wrote:
"For over a decade, I resisted turning my Penang street art into editions or merchandise.
These murals hold a special place in my heart, and I felt they should be experienced in person, stumbled upon in George Town's narrow streets — just like I did 12 years ago."
However, during the recent restoration, he realised how much the city had changed, which "had taken away what these artworks originally meant to represent".
"Seeing how challenging the restoration was, I decided to immortalise the murals as they are today — capturing how I see them now before time fades them again," shared Zacharevic.
Top images via ernestzacharevic/Instagram & Oriental Daily Malaysia
