[PHOTOS] Ernest Zacharevic Turned A Deep Pothole Into Art In Penang

Lithuanian artist Ernest Zacharevic, whose murals made George Town famous and Johor Bahru infamous, has now made art out of a pothole left uncovered by the city authorities.

The installation, which the artist had publicised with pictures on his Facebook page four days ago, consists of a gold wooden frame around the pothole near the junctions of Jalan Nagore and Jalan Hutton.

themalaysianinsider.com

Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, in a press conference yesterday, said a cover had been placed over the hole to prevent accidents while the frame had been left untouched.

Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said today he will tell the Penang Island Municipal Council (MPPP) to leave the decorated pothole alone.

themalaysianinsider.com

"We mean it when we say we respect the freedom of artistic expression. We will regard this in positive light and take this as a piece of art and also as a reminder to the local authorities that they must deal with complaints promptly," he told reporters at his office in Komtar
in the state capital today.

themalaysianinsider.com

“However, to be fair to MPPP, they did not receive any complaints regarding the hole,” Lim told a press conference on Monday.

Residents had complained about the pothole. Zacharevic learnt last week about it and decided on the artwork.

The decorated hole was earlier thought to be a message by Zacharevic to the authorities but the artist, who created a stir with his murals in Johor Baru recently, has since clarified that it was just a piece of installation art to show people that beauty can be found in all kinds of places.
He said it was not a complaint to the authorities.

The picture frame is part of Zacheravic's upcoming exhibition entitled 'Art is Rubbish/Rubbish is Art'.

The exhibition will be held from Jan 17 to Feb 14 between 8.30pm and 11.30pm at Hin Bus Depot, Georgetown, Penang.

mob.com.my

"We are not afraid to admit our weaknesses or mistakes. We are not god. There is nothing to be ashamed off," he told a news conference at his Komtar office today.

Lim said the state thanked Zacharevic for the art work.
"We will still take note, even if it was not meant to be a complaint," he said.

"It is alright even if Ernest did not apply to the council for the artwork. We are not going to fine him RM2,000 or anything.

"We are not that autocratic. We are not like Johor," he said, referring to the Johor City Council that whitewashed the Lithuanian artist's work recently.

themalaysianinsider.com

The artwork is embedded on the road where a fire hydrant once stood.

When the hydrant was removed about 10 years ago, it left a depression in the road. Lim said the square hole did not come under MPPP’s jurisdiction but under Indah Water Konsortium.