There's a town on an island off the West coast of Malaysia that not only allows graffiti street art, it welcomes it! Georgetown in Penang has become famous for its quirky wall paintings scattered around town. The first only appeared three years ago but since then the trend has really taken off and it's hard to imagine the place without them. Far from considering it as destructive vandalism the government believe it gives their town character.
In fact, to add to its arty status they even commissioned a 'Marking Georgetown' project whereby wrought iron figures were designed and put in place to represent historic facts in relevant areas. The caricatures all tell their story in a light hearted and humorous way whilst demonstrating the significance of every corner of town.
On our first day in Penang we borrowed a map from our hostel which showed us where we could find each site. It was the best way to explore the streets and to understand the history behind such an interesting little town. Already the map is out of date though as more and more paintings continue to pop up. If Banksy is ever caught and banished from London there is certainly a place for him here!
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