Georgetown Street Art: 11 Murals Not to Miss in Penang
Georgetown, on the island of Penang, is nothing short of amazing! It’s a melting pot of great food, culture, and heritage. To add to the city’s already amazing qualities, Georgetown has street art scattered about its city walls.
There are all kinds of subjects for this artwork, but some of the most popular pieces contain children. Here are a few common examples of art featuring kids:
- Louise Gan had a painting of his children as they played a basketball game. (This ensured a safe spot for children to take part in different games.)
- Children On a Bicycle is the most famous of the murals.
- Children are also painted on a swing. They share one swing, while the swing next to it is empty for visitors to take a photo on as a memory of this painting.
Aside from children, there are plenty of street murals depicting animals. These animal murals, mostly made up of cats or dogs, are believed to have been used to spread awareness of stray animals.
With so many to choose from, we’re here to help you find the top fourteen street art murals not to miss in Georgetown, Penang.
Penang Street Art and Murals
Penang Street Art Map
Finding new street murals is one of the joys of visiting Penang. You can happily book a tour to have a guide show you around and see some of the best murals in Georgetown — or do it yourself!
Murals are scattered around the city of Georgetown and to give you a better idea of where each street art mural is located in Georgetown, we created the map below to help you plan your route!
The below map makes for a nice walking tour. Spend a day admiring the murals that have helped put Georgetown on the map.
Street Art Murals Not To Miss in Georgetown
1. Children on The Swing
Location: Gat Lebuh Chulia, between Victoria Street and Pengkalan Weld
Artist: Louis Gan
2. Kung Fu Girl
Location: Jalan Muntri between Love Lane and Leith Street.
Artist: Ernest Zacharevic
3. Children Behind Window / I Want Bao!
Location: Ming Xiang Tai Pastry Shop (Armenian Street)
Artist: Unknown
4. Kids on a Bike
Location: Armenian Street
Artist: Ernest Zacharevic
5. Boy on a Chair / Reaching Up
Location: Cannon Street
Artist: Ernest Zacharevic
6. Indian Woman Praying
Location: Lumut Lane
Artist: Julia Volchkova
7. Children Playing Basketball
Location: Gat Lebuh Chulia, opposite the ‘Brother and sister on swing’ Penang street art.
Artist: Louis Gan
8. Boy On Motorbike
Location: Ah Quee Street
Artist: Ernest Zacharevic
9. Bruce Lee & Kung Fu Cat / The Real Bruce Lee Would Never Do That
Location: Back lane off Ah Quee Street, between Lorong Pit and Beach Street.
Artist: Unknown
10. The Indian Boat Man
Location: On the wall of Clockwise Hotel on Stewart Lane/Klang Street
Artist: Julia Volchkova
11. Old Penang Soy Milk Seller
Location: On Gat Lebuh Chulia, between Victoria Street and Pengkalan Weld – found just beside Children on the Swing mural.
Artist: Collaboration by St. Xavier’s Institution, Homesoy and Vilmedia
12. Little Boy with Pet Dinosaur
Location: Lebuh Ah Quee, right next to “Boy on Motorbike”
Artist: Ernest Zacharevic
13. Ah Mah and Ah Soon
Location: Chew Jetty
Artist: Simon Tan
14. Only You Can Stop Air Pollution
Location: Ah Quee Street next to “Boy on a Bike”
Artist: Cloakwork
Penang’s Street Art History
Now that you know our must-see murals of Penang Street Art, here is some background on why the street art of Georgetown exists today and who played a part in creating these amazing works.
Georgetown was named a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2009. To celebrate this, the Government held a competition for artists to create a “living museum” around the city.
The winner was “Sculpture at Work” who created fifty-two steel rod caricatures called “Voices” from the people that explain the history and story of Georgetown.
The next stage of the “living museum” took place in 2012 when Georgetown commissioned the works of Ernest Zacharevic from Lithuania to create “living” exhibits throughout the city.
What Ernest Zacharevic created are some of the most famous murals in the city of Georgetown.
Two years later in 2014, a Russian artist named Julia Volchkova came to Georgetown and painted scenes of the ordinary, everyday people that make up the past and present Georgetown.
Since 2012, local artists and various other people in the community have taken their own turn at adding to the murals in Georgetown. From charities to local cafes getting in on the fun, street art is definitely not lacking in Georgetown!
These murals above are just some of the most common street art on display in Georgetown. Of course, there are more than just the eleven above. Let us briefly look at them below.
More Street Art in Penang
Cultural Girls
Another mural you will find is the depiction of three females that create an environment of peace and joy — this is a symbol of how the Malaysians live together. Also referred to as “Wo Ai Nee Chinese Malay Indian” meaning “I love you Chinese, Malay and Indian”
Location: On Lorong Soo Hong, a few blocks up from Lebuh Armenia.
Artist: Ernest Zacharevic
Cats of Penang
Last but not least, as we mentioned before, a significant portion of art in Malaysia is dedicated by artists for stray animals. This category of mural art includes at least a dozen cat drawings one cuter and more fun than the next.
Cat in Blue Window Love Me Like Your Fortune Cat Please Care & Bathe Me Skippy Comes To Penang
Rubber Tapping
Once you’ve had your fill with the above Penang Murals, hop on Route 6 (public bus) and head towards Balik Pulau to check out more amazing murals.
The most popular mural in Balik Pulau is the depiction of Malaysia’s main export product is rubber, which was a likely inspiration for Julia Volchkova when she crafted the 2016 “Rubber Tapping”. This display gives a picture into this major industry and its significance in Malaysia.
Some other murals from artist Julia Volchkova can be found in the same neighborhood of Balik Pulau and are definetly worth you checking out.
- The Old Fisherman
- The Silversmith
- Hakka Dancing Girl
- The Silat Master
Discover the Annual Art Festival
Are you wondering about what to do after you’ve seen all the murals you want to see for one day? Well, there are loads of things you can do in Penang!
Check out our complete list of Things To Do in Georgetown and properly enjoy the city! For those of you art lovers, Penang has annual festivals for you to explore.
A favorite annual art festival is the George Town Festival (GTF). This event is held in Penang each year to honor the city’s designation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. If you’re visiting in the summertime (mid-July), you can witness this awesome crowd-gathering event.
Foreign street artists are also usually present during this event. Together, they work in giving most of the buildings a new look by either repainting old murals or creating new paintings.
Beyond the visual arts, you can see musical performances, dance, and other cultural events you won’t want to miss!
Where To Stay in Georgetown
Georgetown has several amenities that are centrally located. These properties range from the cheapest and most basic to the most expensive and luxurious.
Here are a few options for travelers depending on preferred price ranges.
For The Budget Conscious: Rainbow House is comfy, clean and walking distance to many of the must sees places of Georgetown plus its a great value for your money…what more can you want?!
For The Luxury Inclined: Yeng Keng Hotel is a 19th century hotel restored to absolute perfection and located right in the middle of the UNESCO world heritage site of Georgetown. From an outdoor pool to a whole lot of character, this hotel is sure to please.
For Something In Between: Spices Hotel is a gem. The smell of lemongrass hits you as soon as you walk in. Comfy rooms, a central location and a vibe that has all the charm you could ever want in a place. Trust us, you wont want to leave.
For more place to stay in Georgetown, you can check out the latest places and prices here.
WANT MORE INFORMATION ON MALAYSIA?!
Your Complete Travel Guide to the Perhentian Islands in Malaysia
Your 3 Week Itinerary To Malaysia
The Ultimate Travel Guide to Langkawi, Malaysia
PIN IT FOR LATER!
For more travel tips, guides and awesome travel shots, be sure to poke around our site, follow us on Instagram @wanderingstus, Pinterest and on Facebook. Oh, and if you have any questions, let us know in the comment section. We’re happy to answer. Or, just leave us a positive note!
Happy Travels,
– Lauren & Jesse Stuart (The Stüs)