Shalimar Sharbatly demands compensation from Mercedes or resort to the judiciary.

(MENAFN- Global Advertising) In the world of supercars, where innovation is the lifeblood and aesthetics, and design are paramount, unexpected sources can become a source of inspiration. A recent Instagram post highlighted a remarkable intersection between fine art and automotive design, where It’s evident that the Mercedes-Benz AMG GT Coupe Design Team has drawn inspiration from Shalimar Sharbatly’s artwork, the pioneer of “Moving Art,” creating a buzz among enthusiasts and aficionados alike.
Artist Shalimar Sharbatly, a world-famous painter, pioneered a concept known as moving art. It is an initiative through which Shalimar seeks to liberate art from the confines of elite galleries and integrate it into the fabric of our daily lives to elevate individuals’ general taste and add aesthetic touches and visual experiences to simple life tools. Shalimar confirms that the success of “Moving Art” is a victory for her artistic vision, and she always expresses her happiness because the art she created has become of great international standing, and she is famous for her ability to transform common objects - such as cars - into conceptual masterpieces that resonate with millions around the world.
At the heart of Shalimar Sharbatly's work lies her deep connection to color. Her color palette is not just a tool, but a language used to convey emotions, create space, play with light and shadow, and evoke deep symbolic associations.
Shalimar's artistic journey has left an indelible mark on various parts of the world. Her hand-painted design on the Porsche 911 decorated the prestigious Carrousel du Louvre Museum in Paris, which gained her international fame. Her pioneering accomplishments include becoming the first woman commissioned by the government of Saudi Arabia to create street art and murals and her distinctive style adorned the walls of Jeddah, adding a touch of artistic flair to the cityscape. Recently, her latest artwork was displayed in Jeddah as part of the 90th National Day celebrations of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Shalimar believes that “beauty does not have a fixed address. There are no specific schools that draw their steps or custom templates that define the paths of every artist. There are no preconditions or special laws, but rather they are moments of human overflow in which beauty proves its ability to invade our worlds.” The Saudi artist Shalimar Sharbatly captures everything around her. She passes her brush over static and moving things, imprinting the joyful human experience on them, as if she were completing beautiful scenery in the world, overcoming any negative feelings that any emergency might arouse.
It is undeniable that the Mercedes design team was influenced by Shalimar’s charming artwork. The video, which went viral on Instagram, shows Shalimar's hand-painted Porsche 911 and the new AMG GT Coupe, revealing striking similarities in color and design.
As we delve deeper into the details, it becomes clear that the influence of Shalimar’s “Moving Art” extends beyond mere inspiration. The launch of the new Mercedes AMG GT Coupé, previewed in the Instagram video, appears to have been significantly shaped by Shalimar’s unique approach to art. The uncanny resemblance between her artistic creations and the car’s design is striking.
In a statement, Saudi artist Shalimar Sharbatly said: “The Porsche 911 Carrera, which I hand-painted, was the first artistic car to be displayed in the Paris Motor World Cup in 2014, and it has become one of the cars that received the most interest. It was displayed in the Louvre Museum in Paris, in front of the Café de Paris, the Monaco Football Stadium, and many upscale and famous sites, and the car became world-famous and was used in the advertising for the concept of “moving art,” and occupied a space Wide attention from French, Italian, Arab and international media.”
She added that she was recently surprised by the Italian magazine "Force One", which is considered one of the most important and widely circulated international magazines, publishing a press report about the Mercedes "AMG GT 2024" and described the match in colors and design with the Porsche 911 Carrera, known internationally as the Shalimar Sharbatly car, as a match that goes beyond copyright. The report received widespread attention on social media platforms due to the great similarity between the two cars, and many popular websites in Monaco also discussed the issue, describing it as theft!
“For me, as an Arab artist, I should be very happy to inspire an international company like Mercedes with my work...but the question is, does this indicate artistic poverty? Is this considered the company’s disdain for Arab creators and artists?”, added Sharbatly. “The issue has become an issue of public opinion in Europe and has received the attention of car enthusiasts, and I believe it will become an issue of public opinion in the Arab world as well.”
She described what happened as a bold launch by Mercedes designers. She would not describe it as theft and infringement of intellectual property rights as described by the Italian media, but at the same time, the inspiration is very clear to the point of identicalness.
She said: “We addressed Mercedes and demanded material and moral compensation regarding this quote without obtaining approval, and we are waiting for the company’s response. As I explained, I do not want to use the word theft until we receive an official response from Mercedes with material and moral compensation, or the judiciary rules between us has its say. Whether what happened is an infringement of intellectual property rights or it is a Shalimar Sharbatly painting and was used by the designer in a different way , I will respect the word of the judiciary.”
At the conclusion of her statement, she pointed out that her Porsche 911 was painted by hand, while the designers of the Mercedes AMG GT 2024 used stickers only, but the car is identical in shape and color to the Porsche 911 Carrera. She said, “I think the Porsche 911 impressed the designer of the Mercedes AMG GT 2024, so he imitated it, but in an abstract way, in an attempt to be different. However, the Italian press described what happened as it being “like a Shalimar painting”.
For a deeper dive into Shalemar Sharbatly’s groundbreaking artistry, visit:
and follow her on Instagram: @shalemarsh

MENAFN17092023004361009251ID1107086005