Penang sets up committee to oversee public artwork, murals

The popularity of murals in the heritage city of George Town is not without its "side effects".
Because they are so popular, building owners have allowed murals to be painted on their external walls to attract tourists and customers. Sometimes, it is even done without the approval of the local authorities.
To prevent the situation from getting out of hand, the George Town World Heritage Incorporated (GTWHI) is setting up a special committee soon to manage and control public murals in the heritage zone.

GTWHI general manager Lim Chooi Ping said the committee, which will also comprise representatives from the relevant authorities and individuals with art background and expertise, will evaluate applications for new murals or other forms of public art.

This is not to curb the freedom of artistic expression but to avoid having artworks that do not go with the image and ambience of the Unesco world heritage city, she said.
"It is crucial to safeguard the important universal values of the heritage city, which is unique. There has to be some form of control to make sure that any public artwork does not damage the value of George Town's heritage.
"So, it is best to have a special committee that can assess the artwork proposals," she said today.
Lim said a set of criteria will be drawn up but each application will be evaluated on a case by case basis.
"The committee will have to discuss the merits of the proposed artwork. It will be hard to go by a fixed guideline because there may be a proposal that does not fit into the framework.
"As we know, art comes in various forms and is very subjective and can be interpreted differently," she said.
Public art has been a hit in Penang in recent years. Murals and installation art are made popular by Lithuanian artist Ernest Zacharevic, who painted a series of children-themed murals in the city for the George Town Festival in 2012.
His work dubbed Children On A Bicycle on Lebuh Armenian in the heritage zone has even attracted tourists from around the world