CAIRO — A design company contracting with the Egyptian government to draw murals for metro stations in Egypt has caused a major scandal recently, after a Russian artist claimed that one of his paintings was used at a Cairo station without his consent. 

Russian artist Georgy Kurasov made plagiarism charges claiming the mural, adorning the walls of the Koleyet El Banat station on the Cairo metro’s line 3, was his own, and was used without his consent.

On July 2, Kurasov took to Facebook, saying, “My paintings were used in Cairo subway without my permission and even mentioning my name! Really after my conversation with Egyptian journalist Amany Ibrahim, I am waiting for an official response about the theft of my paintings in a metro station. El Attar Law Firm currently officially represents my interests in Egypt.”

The Egyptian National Authority for Tunnels denied its liability over the plagiarism charges, stating that it had concluded an advertising contract with Wali's Studio, founded and owned by Egyptian artist Ghada Wali, under which the company would be solely responsible for providing original artistic designs.