Street Art: Penang

Georgetown

George Town, the capital city of Penang is one of my favorite city destination in Malaysia. The former British shipping port is a melting pot of cultures and influence. From Chinese temples, Islam Mosques, British architecture and atmospheric shophouses, everything about George Town is historical and well preserved making it a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2008. It’s a perfect side trip destination from Kuala Lumpur or from Singapore.

Three things that make me love George Town, Penang:

The architectural design of the buildings.
Top-notch cuisine & Street Food.
Street art.

Street Art of Penang

Penang street art in George Town is an attraction itself. The inner city is scattered with fascinating and colorful murals and welded sculpture about Penang. The street has become an open museum and an attraction that give awareness and relevance to the rich history of Penang. All the street artworks are commisioned by the owner of the building and Penang Tourism Board, an unauthorized mural is strictly regulated by the authorities and is punishable by law.

This art draws the attention of many tourists. Famous foreign and local artist marked their artwork on building walls around the inner city.

As times goes by, things change every day under the sun for these outdoor wall paintings. Some of them are fading, ruined with vandalism and are vulnerable to extreme weather condition. This can lead to cracking, color change or completely wiped out. Subsequently, some murals are erased and replaced with new ones.

The mission is to wander freely in the inner city looking for amazing and interesting murals. Take time to hunt them – some are hidden in the narrow streets and alleys and on abandoned buildings.

Ernest Zacharevic

Ernest is one of the famous artists in George Town. His street art is inspired by local tradition and their daily livelihood. Commissioned by the Penang Municipal Council as part of the George Town Festival in 2012, the Lithuanian artist created a series of murals and installation art around the city. The breakthrough success of Zachary’s work opened doors for other local and foreign artist in the heritage city and put George Town a perfect art destination. Until now, his work spread around Malaysia, Singapore, Australia and Dubai.

There are six series from his murals, I managed to find four of his work.