"Little Children on a Bicycle" Mural, Armenian Street, George Town

Little Children On A Bicycle (30 June 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.

The "models" for the mural are 6-year-old Tan Yi and her 4-year-old brother, Tan Kern, children of Adrian Tan and Ashley Teow, who were on a field tour to do some sketches, as members of Urban Sketchers Penang. The original photographs were taken around April 2012 near the Goddess of Mercy Temple.

Children on a Bicycle

Little Children on a Bicycle Mural, Armenian Street, George Town, Penang (30 June 2012)


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Public Response

Ever since the mural was completed, it has drawn visitors in increasing numbers to stop over and take shots with them. People are coming up with creative poses, as examplified by the artist himself.

Ernest with the children passing through
Author: © Gabija Grusaite

Girl shooting little girls (30 June 2012)

Updates on the Little Children on a Bicycle Mural

6 February, 2016: The Star reports that Ernest Zacharevic has done a touch up to repair this mural. The touched up version (right) is slightly more detailed than the original (left). Before and After, which do you like better?

Little Children On A Bicycle - Before & After (30 June, 2012/9 February 2016)


4 September, 2013: The mural sustained another defacement when vandal wrote the word "nonsence" [sic] above it. This was highlighted in the newspaper.

10 August, 2013: Over a year after the Little Children on a Bicycle mural was done, it remains extremely popular with both locals and visitors, that long queues form just to take photos with it.

Queue at Little Children on a Bicycle mural (10 August 2013)


26 August, 2012: Two siblings Tan Jia Hang, 20, and his sister Tan Jia Shin, 19, were each given RM300 as a token of appreciation for cleaning up the Little Children on a Bicycle mural, which was defaced.

24 August, 2012: Vandalism reared its ugly head when the Little Children on a Bicycle mural was defaced by what appearede to be yellow paint. This however was later discovered to be wax and good samaritans went to work repairing it.

Location of Little Children On A Bicycle Mural on the map

People's Choice

People's Choice 2014
Members of the Penang Street Art Facebook Group chose this mural as their favorite street art for 2014.

Penang Hokkien Section

This section is in Penang Hokkien and is part of Learn Penang Hokkien. It helps you practise reading in the language. Refer to the Penang Hokkien Dictionary for words that you are not sure.

"Gin1na4 ceh33 Kha3chia1"-eh3 Piak1 Tor3wa33

"Gin1na4 ceh33 Kha3chia1" si33 Ernest Zacharevic-eh3 te33-it1 chut1mia2-eh3 piak1 tor3wa33 ti1 George Town. Cit1-leh1 tor3wa33 2012-ni2 haeh33 khi4 lai2 hor33 George Town Festival eh2. 2012-ni2-eh3 George Town Festival koay3 liau4, ta3pi1 lang3 kokh1 si33 lai3 khnua3 cit1-leh1 piak1 tor3wa33.

Gin1na4 ceh33 Kha3chia1-eh3 piak1 tor3wa33 tua3 ti1 cit3-leh3 piak3 ti1 Phak1 Tang3nga1 Kay1 (Huan3na1 wa33 kio33 co1 Lebuh Armenian). Cit1-leh1 kay1 si33 tua3 ti1 George Town Se1kai3 Ui3san4-eh3 lai33bin33.

A3si3 lu4 hip3 cit1-leh1 tor3wa33, to3long3 pang3 ti1 cit1-peng2 ti1 Penang Street Art Facebook Group hor3 lang3 khnua3!

Translation
"Little Children on a Bicycle" is the most famous mural by Ernest Zacharevic in George Town. This artwork was put up in 2012 for the George Town Festival. Although the 2012 George Town Festival is over, people still go to visit the mural.
The Little Children on a Bicycle mural is on a wall in Armenian Street. This street is within the George Town World Heritage Site.

For more reading material in Penang Hokkien, go to Reading Material in Penang Hokkien. View also the Penang Hokkien Video Guides for video readings in Penang Hokkien.

The Making of "Little Children on a Bicycle"

As with some of the other works by Zacharevic, Little Children on a Bicycle combines mural painting with real props, in this case, an old bicycle, to create a three-dimensional rendition. The artist works from actual photographs.

Earnestly at work
Author: © Gabija Grusaite

Ernest Zacharevic Main Page