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  • Writer's pictureRick

Street Arts Craze from Singapore to Penang


Street Arts from Singapore to Penang

In 2012, the first official sets of street arts popped up in Georgetown, Penang. They are not graffiti but creatively-fun murals that are reflections of life in the old town. These are the masterpieces of Ernest Zacharevic, a Lithuanian artist based in Penang. The murals draw crowds of locals and tourists to them and induce great vibrancy into the old Chinatown.

The success of Penang street arts triggered a chain reaction throughout Malaysia and street arts started flourishing in major towns and cities like Ipoh, Kuala Lumpur and Malacca — but mainly restricted to tourist areas, particularly the historical towns. Singapore, a state that has zero tolerance for graffiti, also follows suit and approves projects to create street arts in preserved ethnic quarters and estates with pre-war structures.

If you are wondering what is the difference between "graffiti" and "street arts", the former is illegal both in Singapore and Malaysia while street arts are sanctioned. In other words, permissions from relevant authorities are required before work on any "street arts" can commence. Anyway, most people have difficulties understanding graffiti as they are usually words — and often regarded as vandalism — while street arts are normally pictures that can be easily understood.

Below are my collections of street arts from Singapore, to major towns and cities in Malaysia that use them to promote tourism, and finally to Penang island, the place that kick-started the whole street art frenzy in both countries. My list is not comprehensive and more will be added when I discover more artworks in my travels.

Follow me on my journey to hunt down the street arts in both Singapore and Malaysia.

 

If you like street arts, do bookmark this page!

This post will serve as a menu for all street art articles in Singapore and Malaysia.

 

SINGAPORE

Apart from Malaysia, Singapore also has quite a number of street arts in popular tourist areas — mainly in places with pre-war shop houses and ethnic quarters.

Pasar Tiong Bahru, Singapore

Intricate Street Arts in Tiong Bahru

Street Arts Everton Park

Kampung Life Murals in Everton Park

Samsui Women, Banda Street, Singapore

Mural Arts of Banda Street

Coffee Street Arts

Coffee Murals & Cultures in Kampong Glam

Find articles with artworks belonging to Yip Yew Chong.

 

MUAR

Most of the murals in Muar are gigantic, occupying several floors of buildings in the town centre. Having lesser tourist attractions, the street arts is an avenue for travellers to explore Muar — apart from its popular food street.

Loving Sisters, Muar

Giant Street Arts of Muar

Find articles with artworks belonging to Julia Volchkova.

 

MALACCA

The artworks in Malacca are more diversified, varying from wall paintings, to advertising through arts, to artworks that require interactions.

Eight Running Horses, Malacca

Street Arts in Malacca

 

KUALA LUMPUR

Being the capital city, areas with old buildings in Kuala Lumpur are limited but that doesn't stop several artworks from popping up in the Chinatown area.

Rage against the Machine, Kuala Lumpur

Sporadic Street Arts of Kuala Lumpur

Find articles with artworks belonging to Ernest Zacharevic.

 

IPOH

While Penang started the street arts craze, Ipoh has more artworks than any other towns in Malaysia.

Ipoh Street Arts

Ipoh: The Town of Street Arts

Trishaw in Ipoh Old Town

The "Art of OldTown" Murals in Ipoh

The Zoo in Mural Art's Lane, Ipoh

Mural Art's Lane in Ipoh New Town

Find articles with artworks belonging to Ernest Zacharevic.

 

TAIPING

Taiping street arts are relatively more recent than the other towns with most artworks added in 2016. Apart from Taiping Lake Gardens, street art is another reason to visit the small town.

Postman, Taiping

Taiping Street Arts

 

PENANG

The place that started the street art frenzy in 2012! Most of the original artworks are still around today but will they be around forever? Check them put before they vanish.

Children on Bicycle, Penang

Trailblazing Street Arts of Armenian Street, Georgetown

Boy on Motorcycle, Penang

More Street Arts in Georgetown, Penang

Find articles with artworks belonging to Ernest Zacharevic, or Julia Volchkova.

 

There is no such things as a "complete guide" to street arts, and neither is this post. New artworks will be born every now and then and can be anywhere while existing ones can fade or be damaged over time.

Girl painting mural

Unless the original artists make efforts to maintain their works, there will be a limited lifespan tied to each artwork as the murals are always exposed to the sun, rains and humans.

I have collected photos of most, if not all, of the murals in the cities I visited. And it's not the end of my mural-hunting yet! There are more to uncover, especially in East Malaysia. One thing is undeniable — hunting for street arts allow us to literally walk through all the streets more thoroughly than going for single-spot attractions. You agree?

 

Hunt for special coffees too!

Special Coffees

Go for Special Coffees when Travelling

#arts #singapore #malaysia

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