Penang street art are all over George Town! Hunting for these Penang murals is a common item on many travelers’ list of things to do in Penang!
We’ll cover the original Ernest Zacharevic paintings as well as others outside of George Town in this post!
And if you don’t have much time in Penang, there are places with a higher concentration of lovely street art paintings that you can visit!
Table Of Contents:
- History
- Map
- Welden Iron Wall Caricatures
- Penang Murals
- 101 Lost Kittens
- Hin Bus Depot Art Centre
- Art Lane Penang
- Balik Pulau Street Art
- Shipping Container Art
Penang Street Art History
So when did Penang street art become so famous?
With the condensed history below, you’ll see that the local council encouraged the spread of murals through Penang after the initial success of Ernest Zacharevic!
2008: Penang received its listing as a UNESCO World Heritage Site
2009: Penang government held an international competition “Marking George Town” to rebrand the heritage area of George Town. Won by SCULPTUREATWORK for their Welden Iron Wall Caricatures.
2012: The art project by the local council, “Mirrors George Town” gave Ernest Zacharevic worldwide recognition for his 6 incredible street art murals during the 2012 George Town Festival in Penang.
2013: Another project, “101 Lost Kittens” by ASA (Artists for Stray Animals) added 12 new paintings to George Town to raise awareness for stray animals.
2014: Hin Bus Depot Art Center and Urban Nation co-organized Urban Xchange: Crossing Over – an international street art festival! A notable artist who partook in the project was Yulia Volchkova!
2018: Art Lane Penang by China House was opened to the public!
There are 3 notable artists whose works you can see in Penang:
- Ernest Zacharevic – A Lithuanian-born artist that employs fine art techniques into his street art paintings. He has many paintings in Penang and Ipoh.
- Yulia Volchkova – A Russian artist who did a number of large wall murals in Penang. And even in Kuala Lumpur!
- Louis Gan – Being deaf-mute did not discourage this self-taught local artist! With a preference for watercolor techniques, he has a few paintings in Penang.
Penang Street Art Map
But where exactly are these Penang street art?
Use the map below to find the all the paintings listed in this post!
Welden Iron Wall Caricatures
These didn’t quite catch the attention of the world like street paintings did.
But George Town has 52 intricate iron structures as art pieces by Malaysian sculpture studio, SCULPTUREATWORK.
The sculptures are caricatures of a common theme “voices from the people”. This idea won the international competition, Marking George Town in 2009.
We’ve listed 15 of the 52 iron structures here:
- Jimmy Choo
- Win Win Situation
- Narrowest Five Foot Away
- Bullock Cart Wheel
- Cheating Husband
- Tok Tok Mee
- Ting Ting Thong
- Labourer To Trader
- Kopi ‘O’
- Three Generations
- No Plastic Bag
- Untrained Parakeet
- Cow & Fish
- Cannon Hole
- Kandar
13 Most Captivating Penang Murals
Street Art By Ernest Zacharevic
Can’t talk about Penang street art without first covering the ones by Ernest Zacharevic! These are what started the trend of street art murals in Malaysia!
After the success of his paintings in Penang, Ipoh council requested Ernest Zacharevic to come paint Ipoh street art 2 years later, in 2014!
1. Kung Fu Girl (The Little Girl In Blue)
A giant mural of a young girl dressed in blue on the side of a building beside Penang Ta Kam Hong on Muntri Street in George Town.
She appears to be lifting herself up with her hands on the tops of two windows for support.
2. Penang Street Art Bicycle – Kids On Bicycle
No doubt one of his most popular murals, Kids On Bicycle utilizes a real bicycle fixed against the wall with a mural of 2 kids riding it with glee.
There’s usually a queue of Instagrammers in front of this mural!
3. Boy On Chair
Unfortunately, this mural of a little boy reaching up while standing on a chair is now next to an unsightly construction site after the owner was told to demolish an illegal structure there.
The mural itself is still in good shape and you can have a look at it some 200m away from Kids On A Bicycle.
4. Boy On Motorbike
Despite showing some signs of fade, people still queue up at Lebuh Ah Quee to have a photo with this mural!
It is of a boy in an oversized helmet riding on a real vintage motorbike!
Parts of the motorbike have been replaced after years of weather damage.
5. Little Boy With Pet Dinosaur
It looks like this mural is chasing the previous mural if you stand across from them!
This cheeky painting on an exposed brick wall has a little boy holding back his “pet dinosaur” on a leash.
The dinosaur has the look of being hand-drawn by a young child adding to the charm of the painting!
6. Trishaw Man
Arguably the largest of all Ernest’s paintings, the Trishaw Man spans the entire wall of a building opposite the car park of a hawker center (Red Garden Food).
It shows an elderly man sitting in the cab of his trishaw, perhaps waiting for customers.
7. Fisherman’s Children / Folklore By The Sea Mural
Spot this long mural at the side of a house at Chew Jetty, one of the clan jetties of Penang!
Children In A Boat (as it is otherwise known as) depicts 2 kids in a boat with a cat.
Depending on the level of the tide, the boat may be out of the water or floating on the water!
Other Street Art
These beautiful paintings are worth a gander too!
8. Siblings On A Swing
This mural makes use of a physical swing with 2 seats.
One of them is left as it is, while the other has a painting of a smiling boy and girl standing on the seat!
Artist: Louis Gan
9. Boy Playing Basketball
To be fair, it’s 2 children playing basket ball where the hoop and ball are real.
Be creative with where you stand, and then it’ll look like you’re playing the game with them too!
Artist: Louis Gan
10. Old Indian Woman
Underneath the roots of a tree in a quiet back lane is a larger than life-size painting of an old Indian woman with her hands clasped together in a plea or prayer.
Artist: Yulia Volchkova
11. The Indian Boatman
This is Yulia’s second painting in George Town. The painting at Stewart Lane features an old Indian man standing on a boat with an oar in his hands.
Artist: Yulia Volchkova
12. Child Mural At Prangin Canal
Hidden in another quiet alleyway at Prangin Canal, this mural of a boy biting his shirt collar is Yulia’s first painting in Penang!
Artist: Yulia Volchkova
13. The Girl With Tree Hair
The Girl With Tree Hair is a striking minimalistic mural of a girl with tree branches for hair on a white building on Chulia Street.
Birds can be seen flying away from the branches.
Artist: Vexta
Read more: Love Lane Penang: What To Love About This Popular Street In George Town
101 Lost Kittens
Like cats? There are 12 murals just of cats around Penang!
These were painted by Thai artist, Nathhapon Muangkliang and 2 Malaysian artists, Tang Yeok Khang and Louise Low!
These murals have a noble purpose to create awareness for stray animals!
1. Skippy Comes To Penang
This is a huge portrait after Skippy, an orange cat with a deformed leg who eventually found a home in Langkawi.
She sadly passed in January 2019.
2. Love Me Like Your Fortune Cat
Japanese lucky cats (maneki-neko) frame a hopeful grey tabby cat which suggests that the message behind the painting is that stray cats need all the luck they can get to find a home.
3. Please Care And Bath Me
Please Care And Bath Me has 2 wet cats staring out of a small tub.
4. Cats And Humans Happily Living Together
Instead of humans, cats are painted as participants in a typical Taoist religious procession.
5. Cats Walking For Animal Awareness
You’ll find these identical cats along the wall of the fire station at Beach Street!
6. Real Bruce Lee Would Never Do This
Behind Ernest Zacharevic’s Boy On A Motorbike, is a mural of Bruce Lee with a cat.
The message is commonly misunderstood but it is “Don’t mistreat stray cats”!
7. I Can Help Catch Rats
A reminder of the age-old benefit of having a cat around!
8. Even Handicapped Still Love Me
Not a painting but it is a sculpture of a crippled cat asking for love despite outer appearances.
9. Shade Me If You Love Me
“Hold” an umbrella over 8 painted cats. The mural encourages people to adopt cats and provide them with shelter!
10. Take Time To Sit With Your Pet
A home is not a home without love as this partial wire sculpture shows with a cat walking on a sofa that isn’t quite there!
Read more: 13 Best Things To Do In Georgetown Penang
11. No Animal Discrimination Please
In Malaysia, cats are often preferred over dogs. This mural asks for equal treatment to both cats and dogs!
12. Fine 500 For Littering, Sterilize Instead
Littering here means cats multiplying uncontrollably. The solution is to sterilize your pets!
Read more: 11 Best Night Market In Penang – Monday To Sunday (Especially #5)
Hin Bus Depot Art Centre
In his search for a suitable canvas for his solo exhibition in 2014, Ernest Zacharevic ended up choosing the rundown Hin Bus Depot!
Even after his exhibition (Art Is Rubbish Is Art), the community spirit at Hin Bus Depot still continues as it is now a gallery for independent artists!
Urban Nation and Hin Bus Depot Art Centre occasionally host street art projects and festivals like the notable Urban Xchange: Crossing Over in 2014 and The Star in 2015.
Even if they’re not hosting anything, the place is usually busy on a weekend with arts and craft stalls selling handmade goods!
You can also head over to see some of the more permanent artworks too:
- Thoughtful Girl
- Upside-Down Girl/Ernest Zacharevic’s Backbend Girl
- Malayan Tiger
- Swans
- Traffic Cone Boy
- Woman Looking Up & Fly Swatting Guy
- Fox Lady
Read more: Kek Lok Si Temple – If You Only Have Time For 1 Temple In Penang, Let It Be This One!
Art Lane Penang
Much like what she did for China House, Narelle McMurtrie (an Australian who’s a restaurateur in Penang) transformed this once abandoned alley at 127 Lebuh Pantai into a public art gallery!
The inspiring walkway is not far from Ernest Zacharevic’s “Little Children on a Bicycle”.
Location: 199, Lebuh Victoria, George Town, 10300 George Town, Pulau Pinang
Opening Hours: Daily 9am–7pm
Read more: Penang Itinerary: How To Get The Most Out Of Your Penang Trip
Balik Pulau Street Art
On the other side of Penang island (an hour’s drive from George Town) in the rural town of Balik Pulau are even more phenomenal Penang street art!
A handful of them are by Yulia Volchkova!
1. Roti Man
Previously the site of Ernest Zachaveric’s faded Silversmith and across from a school, SJK(C) Sacred Heart in Balik Pulau:
Is now a gigantic portrait of a Muniandy, a legendary kaya bread seller who’s been in business for 30 years!
Artist: Andhar A. Samah
2. Hakka Dancing Girl
Yulia Volchkova painted this portrait of a Hakka girl named Pang Yi Chuen that she saw a traditional dance performance at George Town. Fitting tribute to the dominating Hakka community in Balik Pulau!
Artist: Yulia Volchkova
3. The Silat Master
Following the theme of portraits:
This mural is of Johari Oma, a master of Silat. Which is a traditional form of martial arts hailing from Malaysian and Indonesia.
Artist: Yulia Volchkova
4. Old Fisherman
The old fisherman in question is Yeoh Choon Seng from the nearby fishing village, Teluk Kumbar. He is pictured mending fishing nets in this mural.
Artist: Yulia Volchkova
5. Rubber Tapping
Rubber gloves are a major export from Malaysia. This particular mural shows how latex is collected at rubber plantations which are prevalent in Malaysia.
Artist: Yulia Volchkova
Read more: Penang Hill – Must-Visit Penang Attraction With Panoramic Views (Complete Guide)
Shipping Container Art
As part of a series “Penang Place”:
10 impressive container installations made for the Penang Container Art Festival (PICAF) 2020 will be around from January to end of May 2020.
They were painted by 12 artists from many countries – Malaysia, Russia, Ukraine, The Netherlands and Canada.
Utilizing containers as high as 12m stacked either vertically or horizontally!
You can find them at these 5 locations:
1. Dataran Pemuda Merdaka, Butterworth
Penang’s Fisherman
Artist: Judith de Leeuw (Denmark)
Mencanting Batik (Batik Painting)
Artists: Abdulrashade (Penang) and Andharas (Malacca)
2. Prangin Mall, George Town
The Trishaw Rider
Artist: Sasha Korban (Ukraine)
Tribute to the late Chuah Thean Teng
Artist: Bibichun (Penang)
3. Karpal Singh Drive, Jelutong
Hope for the Future
Artist: Yulia Volchkova (Russia)
(Unnamed)
Artist: Kenji Chai (Sabah)
4. Kampung Terang, Balik Pulau
The Joy of Harvest
Artists: Leonard Siaw and Aries Kong / Jagung (Both from Sarawak)
Once at Balik Pulau’s Street Market
Artist: Marat Danilyan (Russia)
5. Aspen Vision City, Batu Kawan
Offshore
Artist: Emmanuel Jarus (Canada)
Connection
Artist: Caryn Koh (Kuala Lumpur)
Read more: 15 Best Hotels In Penang For An Unforgettable Stay
Getting To Penang Street Art
Need some help locating these paintings?
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- Comfortable transport including petrol and parking costs
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Further reading:
- How To Get From Penang Airport To Georgetown (4 Easy Ways)
- How To Get To Penang Island From Kuala Lumpur (KL)
Conclusion
Penang street art is impressive in terms of quantity and quality! It’s not surprising to see folks line up too take photos of the murals by Ernest Zacharevic!
See them for yourself as you wander around George Town! The reach of Penang street art extends as far as Balik Pulau too!
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