Why do Ernest Zacharevic's murals work so well?

The success generated by the Ernest Zacharevic murals has totally surpassed the wildest expectation. Nobody would have expected that a young, relatively unknown foreign artist could manage to generate so much attention, both locally and internationally. It has provided much exposure to both George Town and the artist himself.

What is it that makes Zacharevic's murals work so well?

The answer should be obvious: They celebrate the vivacity of George Town with style and flair. People of all ages, from the youngest children to the most elderly person, can relate to them.

Thanks to Ernest Zacharevic, the streets of George Town of alive with children's laughter (30 June 2012)


Of all the murals created, the most popular are Little Children on a Bicycle, Little Boy with Pet Dinosaur and Reaching Up. Do you see a theme running through them? Listen to those murals. Can you hear the children's laughter? Of the little boy reaching up, do you sense the curiosity of exploring the unexplored?

It's clear that the life-size murals are more popular than the larger-than-life ones. They speak the message of George Town: it's a happy place. Looking at them, we see the soul of George Town. News that some of them were vandalised only heighten their popularity. Those murals, suddenly they have become our own children. We care for them and we can't bear to see them hurt.

To be fair, not every Zacharevic mural in George Town was a success. This Old Man was received with apathy (even though it's quite good), while Little Girl in Blue has been described by many as "scary". The artist certainly had not intended it to be so; it was based on the photograph of his eight-year-old art student. She looked quite adorable in the original photograph, but that did not transfer successfully to the wall.

Ernest Zacharevic would not have imagined the popularity his art has generated. Before the George Town Festival project, he has only done 2 earlier murals that did not garner much attention. Somehow Zacharevic managed to approach and convince Festival Director Joe Sidek to let him paint on the walls. Sidek then discussed the project with George Town World Heritage Inc and the president of the Penang Island Municipal Council, Dato' Patahiyah. That opened the way for the process to unfold, and as we say, the rest is history.

Had Zacharevic foreseen the impact of his murals, he would have been more careful with his choice of models. They are supposed to celebrate the vivacity of George Town. Therefore, every one of them should be a face representing George Town. Unfortunately this is not so for the Children in a Boat mural, which is based on a photograph taken outside the country. Too late to change that now.

This is not Chew Jetty (30 June 2012)


With all said and done, where do we go from here?

Thanks to young Zacharevic, George Town is poised to stand out as a destination for street art. Having already started the process with the steel-rod sculptures of Marking George Town, the authorities and powers that be must recognise George Town's "signature art", which is, wall art. These can be in the form of murals, sculptures or a hybrid of both.

I am urging the city of George Town to not let go of the foundation and success (in wall art) that it has built, but to further capitalise on it. More walls should be identified for art purposes, and other artists, both local and international, should be given the opportunity to grace them. Far-sighted home owners should realise that having a city-approved artwork adorning their exterior wall will lift their real-estate value to lofty heights.

I have lamented that local artists have not been given the opportunity granted to Ernest Zacharevic. Having said that, I am also aware that many local artists are nothing more than "people with paint brush", whose works are mediocre and uninspiring.

Already imitators are painting on other walls, often without seeking permission. This should not be encouraged. It is a form of graffiti. It doesn't matter if the wall appeared peeling, dirty or unkempt - someone somewhere still owns it, and his permission is necessary. How would you like to go shopping, return to your car, and see someone has painted something on it. Would it matter if you haven't washed your car?

No matter how hard it is to find, we should seek more artists to make George Town the destination for wall art. But rather than giving them carte blanche, there should be a clear direction and expectation: interpret the vivacity of George Town in your own way through murals, sculptures or both..

We want murals or sculptures that will make us fall in love with George Town, not hideous or grotesque art that may scare little children from the streets. (I remember when I was small, I was scared of going to Carnarvon Street because of its many coffin shops). Whatever agenda we may have should not overshadow the one to celebrate George Town.

In other words ... (30 June 2012)


The steel-rod sculptures were received with half-hearted enthusiasm. Some are better than others, but not all are equally good. There are quite a number of outstanding ones, including Kopi-O Kau and Limousine, both based on sketches by Tang Mun Kian. Those are the ones that speak vibrantly of George Town.

We should encourage other artists to study the best examples laid out by Zacharevic and the steel-rod cartoonists, and adorn more walls in George Town with art. Let the popularity of wall art snowball to become the signature art of George Town.

It takes time for a child to find his goal in life. Similarly it takes a while for a city to discover its signature art. Ernest Zacharevic came in from out of the blue and help us discover it. Now that we have something to work on, we should proceed from here and continue to build on the foundation he has laid. Let's not waste the opportunity.

Other pages on Ernest Zacharevic

Penang Street Art Main Page

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