Tuesday 14 May 2013

Steel rod street art at Che Em Lane, George Town


I had a bit of extra time on my hands last Sunday as I headed down to the E&O Hotel and decided to stop at the junction of Beach Street and China Street Ghaut. For some time, I had wanted - very curious, actually - to see what the Penang Island Municipal Council (MPPP) had cooked up for the wall art at our Quah Kongsi building at the corner with Che Em Lane.

Trouble was, you see, after we had given the MPPP the go-ahead to use the wall for one of their their steel rod sculptures in January, we had not heard back from them. We did not know whether the MPPP would go ahead with their plans or abandon this particular one, the reason being we had responded a little late to their request. And so, this was the first opportunity for me to visit that part of Beach Street and see what had developed since giving MPPP the permission.

My opinion of this type of street art sculpture? Personally, I would prefer the Zacharevic wall drawings over these steel rod sculptures. The former were more realistic and less confusing, though also less permanent. But for this particular design on our wall, well, it looks okay, lah.... Anything to play our part in promoting the cultural heritage of our old city of George Town.

Oh, by the way, I felt that the cemented wall imparted a real character to the sculpture as well.




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