Julia Volchkova - Murals at George Town, Penang.

The Indian Boatman (GPS: 5.41933, 100.33733) is a second mural by Russian mural artist Julia Volchkova in George Town, Penang. This beautifully executed painting graces a wall of a property at 75 Stewart Lane. The mural itself faces Klang Street, which is within the core zone of the George Town UNESCO World Heritage Site, at the junction with Stewart Lane. The building is Clockwise Hostel, a guesthouse on Stewart Lane.
The project to paint this mural was initiated by a group of Ukrainians. The artist Volchkova was invited by the team to paint according to a sketch after it was approved by the Penang Island Municipal Council (MPPP), as they found her technique to be congruent to the concept. The purpose of the painting is to celebrate the role that Stewart Lane played in the maritime industry.
‘The mural of a little boy on Prangin Canal was inspired by a photograph taken by a friend who travelled to Indonesia,’ she said.
‘He was photographed in a poor neighbourhood. He has no home and lives in a tent made of plastic bags. This story touched me and I wanted to talk about it.’