The creator of Penang murals, Li Tao Yuan artist Ernest Zacharevic, said: “In fact, everyone is an artist. When they see these murals on the street, they can interpret them in their own way. The second creation of art."
The only city in Asia that was listed as the best mural destination by "Lonely Planet"
Penang, Malaysia, is a small seaside town that retains the original Nanyang style. It has the characteristics of China in the 1950s and 1960s: strolling in Penang will give you the feeling of jumping in time and space; and here are fascinating things about various cultures. Blending and gathering, cheap and delicious street food, lazy and slow pace of life, artistic atmosphere from the inside out...
George Town, Penang, has been included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. The murals in George Town represent the essence of the city’s culture and have gradually become the business card and symbol of the city. At the same time, it is also the only city in Asia that is listed as the best mural destination by Lonely Planet.
Based on a door, a window, a wall, and a brick of the small city, the artists used their peculiar imagination to paint every unexpected corner of the city. When you come to Penang, you have to visit the street art scattered in the streets and alleys of George Town. The mottled walls record the traces of the years. The lively and interesting murals on the walls tell the story of the city to guests from afar. .
Tips:
Street art in George Town is divided into two categories: street murals and iron sculpture cartoons, both of which are the work of a team of local sculptors.
Iron-sculpture cartoons, also called iron-line paintings, interpret folk history, culture and anecdotes through witty techniques, adding historical charm to this land.
George Town Mural Clock-in Map
The popular murals, led by sisters and brothers riding together, have a relatively high appearance rate, mainly in the vicinity of Lebuh Armenian (Bantou Gong Alley) and Lebuh Victoria (Haigan New Road).
The more popular iron plastic comics are concentrated around Jalan Muntri (South China Hospital Street) and Love Lane (Love Lane).
The picture is not clear, you can send me a private message and ask for a high-resolution map~
In addition, at the front desk of Penang Airport or some hotels: you can see the paper version of the above map, you must remember to take one, it is very useful, the map looks like this.
George Town Street Art
·There are many murals scattered on the streets of Georgetown. This is one of the reasons why many people come to Penang to travel. It is the newest tourist attraction in Georgetown. ·Most of these murals are street paintings created by 25-year-old artist Ernas from Lithuania for the Georgetown Festival, and more painters have participated later. ·The completed works are divided into two categories: the first category is a combination of murals and installations, such as bicycle sisters and brothers and the young man who chased the wind; the second category is huge murals, such as the girl jumping over the wall and the craftsman. ·As long as you stroll on the streets of Penang, you will always find many lively and interesting cartoons inadvertently, which will add some playfulness to the nostalgic Penang.
How to choose the check-in method?
The popular street art is almost all distributed in the core area, not very far away. There are three ways to check in:
(1) Walking: relatively free, eating and shopping while taking pictures, stop and go, you can stroll the murals and the surname bridge together in a whole day;
(2) Bicycles: One is to find a small shop for renting a car. Most of them are open after 10:00 in the morning to pick up the car, and they are returned around 6:00 in the afternoon, about 15 MYR/day. The other is the Link bike, a shared bicycle provided by the local area, which is calculated based on the time of use and is free within 30 minutes. There are many locations for borrowing and returning cars in the old city, which is very convenient.
(3) Take the free CAT bus: The free CAT bus in George Town, Penang starts with CAT, mainly between the Everbright Building and the pier. There are lines on the map, which will basically complete the old town of George Town.
Tips:
Penang Ferry Terminal Bus Terminal (Jetty): Next to Weld Quay, it is also the starting stop of the free bus (Penang CAT).
The stories behind some famous murals
At present, the most famous Penang murals are mostly by Lithuanian artist Ernest Zacharevic. Most of his creations are based on actual Penang sceneries and then recreated into murals. Later, it became a must-visit attraction for tourists and attracted more foreign and local artists to be active in the streets and lanes of Penang, leaving more interesting works.
Sister and brother ride together
This is the most famous mural in Penang. The work of Ennas was listed in the world's 15 best murals by the British "Guardian".
The two children in the photo are Chen Yi and Chen Ken, the children of interior designer Chen Jingyuan who settled in Penang. They were photographed and painted as murals by Ennas while frolicking in front of the Guanyin Pavilion. The fresco has been artificially damaged, and Ennas also returned to repair it.
Fishing boat kid
The mural is located at Zhouqiao (there is a sign beside the road) and you will see it when you walk in. This is a photo taken by Ennas while traveling in Sumatra. Because this photo is almost the same as the lifestyle of a floating family surnamed Zhouqiao, it is embellished with materials.
Chasing boy
This mural is at the intersection of Agui Street and Tuku Street, diagonally opposite the Fire Station of Tuku Street. At first, Ennas only drew a child on a locomotive. After many years, he revisited the old place and found that a dinosaur was painted on the back of the locomotive. Ennas saw this spoof and drew another child pulling a dinosaur. Interesting.
Brother and sister on a swing
The works of Penang's hearing-impaired painter Yan Yilong are also popular among tourists.
Unfaithful husband
"Where is my husband", this iron-sculpture cartoon is located in Love Lane. It depicts an embarrassing scene of a rich man hanging out of his mistress's window in an extremely funny posture. It is said that Love Lane used to be a place where wealthy Chinese of Chinese descent had fun or served as a place to hide in the golden house. There are many versions of the origin of the name of this alley. Whether its allusion is related to the place where the rich enter the house to hide the Jiao, there are still different opinions.
High counter
"Can you borrow your high heels?" A pawnshop in Niugandong Street. For safety reasons, the counters of old pawn shops are set up very high. The cartoon uses a side wall as the background and depicts the dilemma faced by a short man in front of a tall pawnshop counter.
The process of looking for murals is both novel and fun. You will never know what kind of scenery you will encounter at the next corner. When you come to Penang, you must stay a day to stroll around the small town and look for the surprises painted on the old walls.
