Constructing multiculturalism and national identity in Penang, Malaysia: A perspective from the 2020 Penang International Container Art Festival.

This article examines how multiculturalism is symbolically constructed through murals displayed in public spaces in Penang, Malaysia, focusing on ten murals from the 2020 Penang International Container Art Festival (PICAF) located in both urban and rural areas. Using social semiotic visual analysis, the study identifies three main themes—occupation, living culture, and imagination—that reflect the diverse ethnic and occupational identities contributing to Penang's national identity. The murals portray communities such as farmers, fishermen, batik artisans, and youth, highlighting ongoing negotiations of multiculturalism shaped by historical economic pluralism, colonial legacies, and modernisation. The study emphasizes the importance of both urban and rural contexts in understanding multiculturalism and advocates for creative, image-based approaches to sociolinguistic research, while noting that ethnic segregation and socio-political challenges continue to affect Penang's multicultural development.