“Selamat mendaki” whispers the wall as a warm invitation to explore Penang’s vibrant soul. Street art exploded onto Penang’s scene in 2012. Before that, George Town’s walls were blank canvases. Now, urban art is a major attraction. It draws tourists as much as historic buildings.
Penang’s Tourist Board commissioned Ernest Zacharevic to create murals. He painted on six walls in historically important places for the George Town Festival. This lucky break launched the Ukranian-born artist’s career. He went on to create street art around the world.
Zacharevic’s art reflects the local community. He uses existing features and draws on local history. His murals often show people interacting with the buildings. Many works depict people climbing into windows. Others show them reaching for things that are already part of the buildings.
Zacharevic’s work inspired other local artists. They created their own street art. Some art is similar to Zacharevic’s original murals. Other artwork is very different in style. “Teach You Speak Hokkien” resembles conventional graffiti. It uses spray paints. However, relating to the local community remains a common theme.
Some artwork is very large. “Kung Fu Girl” on Armenian Street stands over 20 feet tall. Others are more modest. The three young ladies on Soo Hong Lane are charming. Their artist remains a mystery. This mural cleverly shows girls from Malaysia’s three main races. They wear traditional Hokkien Chinese outfits. They embrace Penang’s cultural heritage.
Animals feature heavily in recent artwork. On Chulia Street, a colourful tiger tugs at a string. It is attracted to a nail in the wall. Many cats are painted on walls around George Town. The cat welfare charity 101 Stray Kittens installed twelve murals. These feature 100 stray cats and 1 rat. Another well-known cat painting shows a large ginger cat. It pokes its head out of a window. The window is painted on an alleyway corner. The alleyway leads onto Cannon Street.
Every spare wall seems to be taken up with art. “Big Mouth” by Gabriel Pitcher makes excellent use of an awkward space. It sits above and to the sides of an archway. Street art in Penang is temporary. Malaysia’s hot and damp climate is unforgiving. Paint colours quickly break down. The ballerina mural on Love Lane shows this well. The freshly painted ballerina contrasts with the building’s black surface. The building’s wall served as the artist’s canvas.
The quick fading presents a challenge. It also offers an opportunity. Preserving famous murals is a challenge. Ernest Zacharevic had to return to touch up his 2012 work. On the positive side, the city’s art scene constantly evolves. New people and ideas find their way onto the walls. This provides new points of interest for returning visitors.
Penang’s Tourist Board joined the movement it started. It commissioned 52 cast iron signs. These signs tell the history of different George Town areas. They feature amusing cartoon-style graphics. The sign at Muntri Street’s entrance shows a young Jimmy Choo. He studied shoemaking at a shop on Muntri Street. He stands with his parents and a giant lady’s shoe.
The sign on Soo Hong Lane depicts a hand-pulled rickshaw driver. He is separated from his customers. The cab is too wide to travel down the narrow lane. Similar facts and illustrations appear on all 52 signs. They are worth looking at as you walk around George Town. Remember that “Selamat mendaki” is more than just a painting. It’s a part of Penang’s ever-changing story.