George Town is the colorful, multicultural capital of the Malaysian island of Penang. Once an important Straits of Malacca trading hub, the city is known for its British colonial buildings, Chinese shophouses and mosques.
Malaysia: Penang – George Town Street Art
George Town's street art scene boomed in 2012. That year Ernest Zacharevicm, a Lithuanian artist, created 6 wall paintings during the celebration of the annual George Town festival. These murals soon achieved worldwide fame.
George Town in Penang has hundreds of murals and other forms of street art scattered across the city. The street art movement in Penang started in 2012. Before 2012 there was hardly any graffiti on the walls of George Town, let alone street art, and only 6 years later urban art is now as much of a feature of George Town, and as much of a tourist attraction, as the historic buildings.Â
Street art in Penang began when the Penang Tourist Board commissioned then unknown artist Ernest Zacharevic to create murals on 6 walls in places of historical importance in George Town for the George Town Festival. Ukranian-born Zacharevic’s career started with this lucky break and he went on to create street art projects in urban settings around the world as well as art in galleries and other indoor spaces.Â
Ernest Zacharevic’s style and motivation are distinctive. He is not a Lithuanian version of British street artist Banksy. Banksy’s work tends to have an overtly political message and Zacharevic’s isn’t, and if it had been it is difficult to imagine him having been commissioned to create wall murals in a country such as Malaysia, known for its socially conservative values. Instead, Zacharevic’s work is focused on art as a feature and a reflection of the local community. The subjects of his work are the people from the locale where he is painting and he uses existing features of the landscape, and draws on the history of the area, to create his work. He does this literally and metaphorically. Many of his murals in depict people climbing into windows, or reaching for things, which were already part of the buildings upon which he is painting. One of his more famous works, which has now faded, was painted onto the side of one of the wooden houses in Chew Jetty and shows two boys in a wooden rowing boat.
1. Children in a Boat (2012) > Folklore by the Sea (2018)
Children in a Boat by Ernest Zacharevic was one of the original murals of art project Mirrors George Town but sadly has already faded a few years ago.
In December 2018, Singaporean artist Yip Yew Chong decided to paint for ten hours straight, painting a new mural at the exact location where Children in a Boat once was.
Folklore by the Sea tells the story of the settlers from China who built their homes at the Penang waterfront in the 1880s.
2. Brother and Sister on the Swing (2012)
Brother and Sister on a Swing is one of the most noteworthy murals in George Town, Penang. It was created by Penang local Louis Gan a deaf- mute artist. The mural shows two children on a swing and celebrates the intimacy between siblings, as Louis had with his brother.
3. Children playing Basketball (2012)
Another piece by Louis Gan, located in the street across from the swing-mural, at the back of the old Kwong Wah Yit Poh building.
4. I Want Bao! (2014)
Created by Penang street artist, WK Setor, this mural shows two kids reaching for bao buns. Like the soy milk piece, it’s a clever piece of advertising commissioned by Ming Xiang Tai Pastry Shop beside it.
5. Boy on a Bike (2014)
The boy on the motorcycle is one of the original Ernest Zacharevic pieces for Mirror George Town.
6. Two Children On A Bicycle (2012)
Little Children on a Bicycle (GPS: 5.41468, 100.33823) is a mural on the wall of a shophouse on Armenian Street, George Town. It is one of the two murals along that street painted by London-trained artist Ernest Zacharevic, in conjunction with the 2012 George Town Festival. It depicts a little girl taking her younger brother on a bicycle ride. The joy in their faces echoes down the street, providing a ray of cheer and adding character to Armenian Street.
Other works of art
There are so many works of art on the streets of George Town.Â
This includes many wrought iron caricatures. The Marking George Town Steel Rod Sculptures is a collection of caricatures placed on the historic streets of George Town by the company, Sculpture At Work. The company on 29 March 2010, won the design idea competition organized by the Penang State Government on 7 September 2009.
The concept presented by Sculpture at Work is to relate the history and/or characteristics of selected streets in George Town using steel rod caricatures of local cartoonists. The reason is to make the history of George Town interesting and easily grasped by visitors and residents, the young and the old.
Almost everywhere you turn in George Town you will see examples of street art, and it is a collection that is always being added to.
Planning your visit to the Street Art in George Town
| Website: | https://streetartpenang.com/ |
| Address: | All over the town |
| Telephone: | Â |
| Hours: | 24/7 |
| Cost: | Free |
The best time to visit George Town
The climate of George Town
George Town, in Malaysia, has a prominent Af Köppen climate classification. This delineation identifies the area as having a Tropical rainforest climatic zone, imbued with high temperatures and abundant rainfall year-round – two main characteristics driven by its latitude close to the equator.
Throughout the year, the city is marked by high temperatures, consistently ranging from a minimum of 23.8°C to a soaring 31.6°C. Each month, there are limited fluctuations in such thermal readings, as the lowest temperature seldom falls below 23.8°C while the upper temperature rarely surpasses 31.6°C. Correspondingly, relative humidity remains comparably high throughout the year, primarily within 76% to 81%, thus contributing to the overall sensation of warmth.
Rainfall in George Town varies from month to month, judging by the parameters provided. The range dips to a low of 65mm, and climbs a high of 193mm, marking December as the month with the heaviest rain showers. Correspondingly, the number of rainfall days has a similar trend, with a peak in November and December, where rain is expected for more than 28 days.
Observing the number of sunshine hours, they fluctuate narrowly from a modest 7.6 hours in November to a bright 9.3 hours in February, reflecting the region’s tropical nature. In conjunction with daylight hours, they remain quite constant throughout the year, hovering approximately around 12 hours daily.
The best time to visit George Town
Taking into consideration predominantly the temperature, humidity, and rainfall, the period from February to April emerges as the most suitable time to visit George Town. In these months, rainfall measures stay below 106mm and the days with rain are notably fewer than other times, below 24 per February. Concurrently, the temperature hovers between the comfortable 23.8°C and 31.3°C, allowing for outdoor exploration without extreme heat. During this time, hours of sunshine are also in their peak, exceeding 9 hours daily.
Other places to visit while in Penang
1. KHOO KONGSI
Leong San Tong Khoo Kongsi, or Khoo Kongsi for short, is one of the most distinctive Chinese clan associations in Malaysia. It is known for its extensive lineage that can be traced back 650 years ago, as well as its closely-knit and defensive congregation of buildings and a magnificent clanhouse.
2. CHEONG FATT TZE (THE BLUE MANSION)
Built between 1896 to 1904, teams of master craftsmen from China were hired. The majestic blue house was built with 38 rooms and 5 courtyards. At that time, 3 of his wives occupied the Blue Mansion. The Blue Mansion (otherwise known as Cheong Fatt Tze’s Mansion) was large enough to accommodate his extended family.
3. PINANG PERANAKAN MANSION
The Pinang Peranakan Mansion is a museum dedicated to Penang’s Peranakan heritage. The museum itself is housed within a distinctive green-hued mansion at Church Street, George Town.
4. GEORGE TOWN – CHEW JETTY
Chew Jetty was one of 5 wooden jetties constructed in 1888 as part of a development project on the quayside in George Town. 2 other wooden jetties were built in the same area in the 1960s. One jetty burnt down so only five remain.
Where to stay in Penang
1. MID-RANGE – NOORDIN MEWS
Nestled in the heart of Penang’s heritage centre, Noordin Mews is an intimate 1920s Peranakan shophouse turned hotel. With rooms meticulously restored to capture the essence of a simpler age, Noordin Mews is a living memory of Penang’s colonial architecture.
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Set within a working-class neighbourhood known as the Seven Streets Precinct, our converted Straits Eclectic shophouse was originally for the trishaws and hand carts that populated Noordin Street in the early 1900s.
Abandoned after its purpose declined over the years, the main hotel building was rediscovered by an acclaimed hotelier, who skilfully restored it to its glorious years, coupled with modern times’ finer touches.
2. LUXURY – EASTERN & ORIENTAL HOTELÂ
The Eastern & Oriental Hotel – known simply as the ‘E&O’ to generations of travellers – exudes a charm that is inimitably its own. For most of its history, its passageways and halls were the preserve of the rich and privileged from the Western world – intrepid travellers that included acclaimed writers and aspiring literati who arrived in steamships seeking to experience the exotic East. Even with the passage of time, this unique pearl at the heart of George Town continues to shine as a testament to the grand elegance of the British colonial era, the embodiment of both a special time and a special place. Indeed, at the E&O, life’s true pleasures never go out of fashion. For over 138 years, the hotel has welcomed the world in timeless style. This legacy is conserved and further elevated with the re-opening of the Heritage Wing that is now setting the new standard as a leading destination in classic hospitality.
3. BUDGET – SWING & PILLOWS @ BEACH STREET
Swing & Pillows @ Beach Street is located in George Town, within 1.5 miles of Northam Beach and a 17-minute walk of Penang Times Square. Among the facilities at this property are a shared kitchen and a shared lounge, along with free WiFi throughout the property. Straits Quay is 5.1 miles from the hostel and Penang Botanic Gardens is 5.3 miles away.
All guest rooms at the hostel feature air conditioning and a desk.
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