Ban Ban Kia: Penang Shop Signs Walking Tours

As you drive past Penang’s old shops, do you pay attention to their signages?

Penang has a rich heritage of shop signs, rooted in its history as a hub of commerce, cultures and creative production. Designed to be both functional and eye-catching, each sign is a work of art painstakingly created by a skilled craftsman. Despite their intricate beauty, they are now ignored and underappreciated, disappearing with each passing day.

Ban Ban Kia: Penang Shop Signs beckons you to slow down and pay attention to Penang’s old shop signs before it is too late. Penang is an open-air art gallery of old signs, and through an exhibition, walking tours, talks and workshops, the treasures and stories behind these typographical reminders of the past will be revealed.

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Gathering point: GTF @ Capri Penang
Free, pre-registration required
Conducted by Joel Lim Du Bois, Tan Sueh Li
Limited to 25 pax per tour

Tour 1: Ban Ban Kia: Campbell Street 慢慢走: 新街

20 July (Sat), 8am-10am
Once a red light district, after WWII Campbell Street became the retail shopping hub of George Town. Explore with us the old shop signs which call out to attract shoppers' attention for clothing, shoes and luxury goods.

Tour 2: Ban Ban Kia: Sia Boey & Prangin Road 慢慢走: 社尾

21 July (Sun), 8am-10am
Originally marking the edge of early George Town, Prangin Road later became home to Sia Boey market and its traders and wholesalers. A range of old and modern buildings and businesses show us the evolution of shop signs from the early to the late 20th century.

Tour 3: Ban Ban Kia: Carnavon Street 慢慢走: 沓田仔

27 July (Sat), 8am-10am
Previously the street of coffin makers and funerary items, Carnarvon Street is also the traditional centre of book and art supply stores. Here we can see the work of famous calligraphers captured in the shop signs, and learn about their stories.

Tour 4: Ban Ban Kia: "Chit Tiao Lor" 慢慢走: 七條路

28 July (Sun), 8am-10am
Once just a marshy area beyond the edges of George Town, Chit Tiao Lor developed into the industrial district of Penang, full of factories, foundries, auto workshops and signmakers. Discover the mix of functional handmade signs and optimistic art deco signs looking towards a progressive future.

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Artist Bio

Joel Lim Du Bois, Seh-seh Penang

Half-Malaysian and half-Belgian, Joel is a brand and design consultant focusing on visual communication and cultural histories across Southeast Asia and the globe. Raised in the United Kingdom, he returned to his mother’s hometown of Penang with new eyes after living in countries around the world. Through @sehsehpenang, he documents and celebrates Penang’s shop signs and design heritage.

Tan Sueh Li, huruf

Sueh Li is a graphic designer from Penang. With an interest in searching for Malaysia’s unique identity in type and typography, in 2017 she founded @huruf.my, a type and design collective working at the intersection of design and pedagogy. She also runs @hrftype, a type design studio that specialises in multi-script typography and font development.