The street art in Penang is incredible. As one of the street art capitals of the world, Penang is a must visit for street art lovers and travelers interested in quirky, interesting things to see. 

Although the art looks faded, street art in Penang is relatively new! After the oldest part of Georgetown, Penang’s capital city, was awarded UNESCO World Heritage Status in 2008, the city commissioned works of art, including 6 wall murals by Ernest Zacharevic, a Lithuanian artist. You’ll also find 52 iron structures commissioned by the Penang Tourism Board, a 3D trick art museum, and more art than you can ever imagine, lurking around each corner.

Tips for Seeing Street Art in Penang:

If you find street art you love, take a photo! The murals are fading, due to the aging effects of the weather. You don’t know if it will be there when you come back.

If you see a line around a wall, go check it out – it might be people waiting to pose with the mural.

There are street art tours, and a handy map from Visit Penang (pdf here). However, you might just choose to wander and see what you uncover in the city – including murals not listed anywhere, or the perfect café for a coffee break. 

Photography Tips:

Don’t touch the art or use flash photography – as with any art, this helps contribute to its decay. 

Pack a wide angle lens (or install one on your phone) – some of these works of art are large!

Make sure your geotagging is set correctly on your phone, so you can locate the art via your photos later.

Look at the light – are there odd shadows? Can you see everything? You might have to go have a coffee to wait for the shadow to move away (such hardship!). Or include the shadows - they might be interesting!

Is the street art very small? If so, include context around it.

Look at your depth of field and be sure you focus on the aspect of the art you’d like to show – perhaps a closeup of a detail, with the rest fading away.

Include people if you can – much of Penang’s street art is OF local people. Interact with the art!

Tell the story of the graffiti – who made it? What is the photo about? How can you best share the story of this art?

How to Find Penang’s Street Art:

Here’s an interactive street art map from google, and a visual street guide you can use to explore the area. 

Penang Travel Details:

Transportation:

It’s easy to get here via Malaysia Airlines. There are myriad ways to get around Penang, including taxi, bus, trishaw, bike, and walking. 

Stay, Eat, Explore:

There are plenty of places to stay, excellent things to eat from a variety of global cuisines, and plenty to do in addition to hunting street art. Love Zacharevic’s art and want to take some home? He’s got a gallery of framed work, too! Find it here.

Need more inspiration?

Have you been? What were your favorites?