development in the widely discussed art plagiarism case, Danish visual artist Lisa Lach-Nielsen responded to the apology issued by Egyptian media figure Maha El Sagheer, who was accused of using one of Nielsen’s paintings without permission. Nielsen confirmed that she accepts the apology on humanitarian grounds but did not rule out pursuing legal action to protect her intellectual property rights.

Lisa Nielsen: I accept the apology but legal action is still under consideration In media statements, Nielsen said, “Of course, I accept Maha El Sagheer’s apology and forgive her. I feel sorry for her and can imagine what she’s going through. I hope the Egyptian public also forgives her and gives her a second chance.” She emphasized that her forgiveness stems from ethical and humanitarian values but clarified that the unauthorized use of her artwork was a clear violation of intellectual property rights. Legal action remains under consideration, either against El Sagheer or the TV channel that aired the artwork. This adds a new crisis for El Sagheer, who is reportedly also going through a divorce from Egyptian actor Ahmed El Sakka.

Maha El Sagheer admits: “I made a mistake” Nielsen’s remarks followed an official apology posted by El Sagheer on her Facebook page, where she said, “I wronged artist Lisa, all artists, the platform I spoke from — and most of all, I wronged myself. Going through the hardest period of my life doesn’t justify what happened. I’m sorry and disappointed in myself.”

Multiple works misattributed to Maha El Sagheer The controversy began when Maha El Sagheer appeared on a TV program where a painting titled “I Made Myself Wings” was attributed to her. However, the piece is a well-known work by Lisa Nielsen from 2019, which was previously used as a book cover with Nielsen’s consent.

Soon after, two other artists — French artist Cité and German artist Karoline Wendelin — also came forward, claiming that El Sagheer presented their works as her own during the same TV appearance.

Karoline Wendelin: “This is painful and disgraceful” German artist Karoline Wendelin expressed her deep frustration in an Instagram post: “Plagiarism is unacceptable. I’m not a celebrity or a singer. I work hard while raising three children. I pour my heart into my art, hoping it will lead to a better future.” She revealed that the stolen work was “Becoming the Garden”, a deeply symbolic piece about growth and patience, adding, “What El Sagheer did erased the true meaning of the piece. It was an incredibly painful experience.”

“The apology wasn’t enough” Wendelin explained that she never received a direct apology from El Sagheer or the show’s team, despite the video featuring the artworks being removed from YouTube. “Public apologies don’t erase the emotional toll of having my work stolen,” she added, noting this wasn’t the first time she has faced such an issue.

Limited media response and ongoing frustration Despite the apologies from El Sagheer and the TV program, the affected artists are calling for more serious measures — including legal assurances to prevent similar incidents in the future.