AS
George Town celebrates its Unesco world heritage site listing, a group
of young artists and sculptors have come up with a collection of
miniature heritage buildings and sculptures featuring scenes of
traditional inner city.

About 20 sculptures on the Penang
Heritage Theme have been completed so far to showcase the inner city’s
beautiful old clan houses and temples, a streetscape, roadside hawker
stalls such as those selling satay, chendol and laksa as well as
traditional barber shop and a vibrant wet market scene.

The
artists have painstakingly created their works of art, and included
even the smallest details to make their work look authentic, such as
intricate paintings on the walls and roofs of a clan house, half drawn
wooden blinds of old shophouses, a market goer bending to pick some
vegetables and a group of elderly men squatting by the roadside to have
their meal.

The unique project was started four years ago by a
group of enthusiastic artists from SculptureAtWork (M) Sdn Bhd, all
locally trained.

Company
CEO Soon Yee Ling, 40, said they started making heritage sculptures in
2003 although the company, which specialised in commercial sculpting,
was formed 10 years ago.

“It takes a lot of patience and passion to complete a sculpture as it is a very delicate piece of art.

“One also needs to have a sharp eye for details that is the fundamental requirement for a sculptor,” he added.

Head
of sculpture and modelling department Low Chee Peng, 33, said they
developed the idea of the Penang Heritage Theme in 2003 after
presenting a sculpture of a multi-cultural market scene to former Prime
Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamamad.

“Since then, we have been working on the project and have so far completed about 20 sculptures on the heritage theme,” said Low.

Creating the artwork involves five teams - modelling and sculpture, artist and finishing, mould-making, casting and mosaic.

Low said the biggest sculpture they had completed was the King Street scene which measured 5m long.

“The
most difficult part is to create the tiny furniture, electrical devices
like light bulbs as well as the expressions on the faces of the people.

“We
also have to source for the most suitable materials,” Low said, adding
that the materials used included calcium carbonate, steel, wood and
aluminium.

“A completed sculpture can cost between RM10,000 to
RM40,000, depending on the design, the materials and the intricacy of
the work which can be very time consuming,” he said.

Soon said
they did not intend to sell the heritage pieces for the time being but
would consider doing so if there was good response.

SculptureAtWork
(M) Sdn Bhd is located in Jalan Perak and their commercial artworks
include the ‘Wave of Prosperity’ at the Gurney Drive roundabout and the
‘Harmony Fly’ seagull sculptures along the Jelutong Expressway.