Ernest Zacharevic’s 2012 mural of children on a bicycle was used on the livery of an AirAsia plane which the artist says was done without his consent. The mural also appeared on other promotional material by the airline. - Ernest Zacharevic Instagram pic, January 25, 2025
‘Don’t back down’: netizens rally behind artist Ernest Zacharevic’s plans to sue AirAsia
Lithuanian artist says his famous George Town mural repeatedly used by airline without his consent
Qistina Nadia Dzulqarnain
Updated 7 hours ago
25 January, 2025
9:00 PM MYT
KUALA LUMPUR — Lithuanian artist Ernest Zacharevic has received strong support from netizens over his plans to sue Malaysian-owned AirAsia.
After sharing his plans to sue the multinational low-cost carrier for using his artwork repeatedly without his consent, social media users have rallied behind him while criticising AirAsia for its handling of the matter.
In response to his Instagram post on the matter yesterday, many commenters agreed with Zacharevic that the case could set “harmful precedents” for the arts community.
“Full support! They (AirAsia) have all the monetary means to fully compensate and pay you for your artistic work,” user reginakhoo pointed out, noting that AirAsia could have taken this opportunity to nurture talented artists instead of unfairly benefitting from their works.
User babynokaoi claimed that the issue goes “far beyond” copyright infringement as AirAsia has supposedly built an “entire brand position” around Zacharevic’s artwork, which found fame following his street murals in George Town, Penang, back in 2012.
“AirAsia has stolen your intellectual property/work and essentially claimed it as a primary asset of your brand. The amount of brand equity AirAsia has built off of your uncompensated work could translate to millions in revenue growth and increased brand value,” the user said.
Replying to a user’s comment on how AirAsia had previously paid artists to design its planes’ livery, Zacharevic revealed that while he was initially commissioned by AirAsia for such work, the airline had “dropped the project halfway”.
This drew more outrage from netizens, one of whom lambasted AirAsia for refusing to recognise the artist, knowing the value of his work.
“The only way to protect artists’ rights is to stand up when your own artistic rights are trampled upon,” user goddesssri said, urging Zacharevic to not “back out of this fight”.
Some netizens also said in jest that the artist should seek a lifetime supply of free AirAsia flights.
In his post, Zacharevic also shared evidence of his murals appearing in multiple AirAsia products. The artist said that while he had continuously engaged with AirAsia, he was repeatedly denied proper credit or compensation.
Despite his attempts to resolve the issue amicably, he said AirAsia’s response to the matter has left him with “no choice” but to pursue legal action.
“AirAsia’s response has followed a familiar pattern: issuing statements, denying past infringements and prolonging discussions.
“Their final offer fails to reflect the value of my work, leaving me no choice but to pursue legal action,” he said.
‘Don’t back down’: netizens rally behind artist Ernest Zacharevic’s plans to sue AirAsia
Lithuanian artist says his famous George Town mural repeatedly used by airline without his consent
Qistina Nadia Dzulqarnain
Updated 7 hours ago
25 January, 2025
9:00 PM MYT
KUALA LUMPUR — Lithuanian artist Ernest Zacharevic has received strong support from netizens over his plans to sue Malaysian-owned AirAsia.
After sharing his plans to sue the multinational low-cost carrier for using his artwork repeatedly without his consent, social media users have rallied behind him while criticising AirAsia for its handling of the matter.
In response to his Instagram post on the matter yesterday, many commenters agreed with Zacharevic that the case could set “harmful precedents” for the arts community.
“Full support! They (AirAsia) have all the monetary means to fully compensate and pay you for your artistic work,” user reginakhoo pointed out, noting that AirAsia could have taken this opportunity to nurture talented artists instead of unfairly benefitting from their works.
User babynokaoi claimed that the issue goes “far beyond” copyright infringement as AirAsia has supposedly built an “entire brand position” around Zacharevic’s artwork, which found fame following his street murals in George Town, Penang, back in 2012.
“AirAsia has stolen your intellectual property/work and essentially claimed it as a primary asset of your brand. The amount of brand equity AirAsia has built off of your uncompensated work could translate to millions in revenue growth and increased brand value,” the user said.
Replying to a user’s comment on how AirAsia had previously paid artists to design its planes’ livery, Zacharevic revealed that while he was initially commissioned by AirAsia for such work, the airline had “dropped the project halfway”.
This drew more outrage from netizens, one of whom lambasted AirAsia for refusing to recognise the artist, knowing the value of his work.
“The only way to protect artists’ rights is to stand up when your own artistic rights are trampled upon,” user goddesssri said, urging Zacharevic to not “back out of this fight”.
Some netizens also said in jest that the artist should seek a lifetime supply of free AirAsia flights.
In his post, Zacharevic also shared evidence of his murals appearing in multiple AirAsia products. The artist said that while he had continuously engaged with AirAsia, he was repeatedly denied proper credit or compensation.
Despite his attempts to resolve the issue amicably, he said AirAsia’s response to the matter has left him with “no choice” but to pursue legal action.
“AirAsia’s response has followed a familiar pattern: issuing statements, denying past infringements and prolonging discussions.
“Their final offer fails to reflect the value of my work, leaving me no choice but to pursue legal action,” he said.
Part of an AirAsia advertisement using Zacharevic’s mural of children on a bicycle which the artist says was done without his permission. – Ernest Zacharevic Instagram pic, January 25, 2025
Scoop has reached out to AirAsia’s communications personnel for a response.
Zacharevic’s mural in question, which he had painted in George Town, Penang, features a young boy and girl on a bicycle.
In November last year, Zacharevic highlighted that the mural had been used on an AirAsia plane’s livery without his permission, and he had sought an explanation from the airline but received no response.
He also said it had been difficult for his team to “get through the many corporate layers to the correct person”. – January 25, 2025
Zacharevic’s mural in question, which he had painted in George Town, Penang, features a young boy and girl on a bicycle.
In November last year, Zacharevic highlighted that the mural had been used on an AirAsia plane’s livery without his permission, and he had sought an explanation from the airline but received no response.
He also said it had been difficult for his team to “get through the many corporate layers to the correct person”. – January 25, 2025
Excuse me...
ReplyDelete~~~~~
https://english.news.cn/20250126/e5aa0ba755bb4dbca33ca45c967af4fd/c.html
Black box of S. Korea's crashed plane stops recording after bird strike warning
Source: Xinhua Editor: huaxia 2025-01-26 09:26:15
I watched the media video on the crash and saw a belly landing (undercarriage NOT down) which slid on runway without any major drama UNTIL the plane rammed on the wall - the wall was what caused the explosion and fire. Yes, birds might have caused the emergency landing with wheels up but I am certain it had been the wall at the end of the runway which was the main "culprit" for the eventual disaster.
DeleteFocus on bird strikes could be the airport authorities masking the "stupid" and ridiculousness of building a solid concretised wall on the runway area/end
Pilots are actually trained on belly landing procedure as a last resort if all else fails.
DeleteThe video of that plane coming in to land without its wheels was showing a textbook perfect execution, and should have been very survivable, if not for that mad, crazy concrete barrier at the end of the runway.
partly correct - Pilots are NOT-NEVER trained on belly landing procedure (who in their right minds would allow such training), but correct that 'belly landing is a last resort if the undercarriage fails to lower, or the aircraft has to conduct a ditching (landing on sea).
DeleteI was once on a flight where the pilot honestly told us the landing gear indicator lights had failed to show deployed and locked.
DeleteThe plane circled around for more than an hour , burning off most of its fuel ( maybe one of those Plane models that couldn't just dump its fuel), before coming in to land.
Fortunately, it was some faulty indicator circuitry, not actual landing gear failure to deploy.
If you are right, I shudder to realise the pilot is not at least simulator trained in the proper process if it really was a failure of the landing gear to deploy ( a very unlikely but non-zero probability)