A PHOTOGRAPHY W ORK OF AN ASI AN MARKET STREET
DI SMI NI SHI NG GROWTH
Ac o l l a b o r a t i v ewo r kf r o mEd i t o rMe l i s s aKo n g/ Ph o t o g r a p h e r sGa r yCh o n g&Ch r i s t o p h e rNg/ Wr i t e rWo n gAi L i n ga n dI l l u s t r a t o rCa l e bOn g
THE STORY OF PUDU STREET AS A CONTAINER OF SOCIETY,CULTURE,HISTORY & MEMORY / STREET AS AN EXPERI ENCE OF URBAN LI FE / STREET AS PROGRAMMES OR EVENTS / STREET AS A LANGUAGE I N TRANSI TI ON.
MARKETPLACE noun,s i ngul ar ,[ mär ket pl as ]a nopens pa c ewher ea ma r keti sorwa sf or mer l yhel di nat own.I ti sas i t ua t i on orpl a c ei nwhi chva l ues ,opi ni ons ,a ndi dea sa r eputf or wa r df ordeba t eorr ec ogni t i on.
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neo ft heo l de s tpl ac e si nKual a Lumpur ,t he r ei sc e r t ai nr awne s st oPudu t hati suns e e nany whe r ee l s e .A c e nt ur yag o , Puduwaso nc eahi l l yar e awi t hc o f f e e pl ant e dati t ss l o pe s ,b utwasc l e ar e df o rde v e l o pme ntaf t e rt heSe l ang o rCi v i lWar (18661873).Thel o c al sus e dt oc al li t Po o nSanPah,me ani ngs e mi de v e l o pe d f o r e s t .The r ei sanar e ai no l dPudukno wn asan‘ ani malq uar t e r ’ ,duet ot her o ads b e ar i ngname so fani mal s ,name l yJal an Gaj ah(e l e phant ),Jal anLandak(po r puc i ne )andJal anKanc i l(mo us e de e r ). No waday s ,Pudui smo r eo faho t s po tf o r l o c al si ns t e ado ft o ur i s t s ,whe r epe o pl e ‘ y amc ha’(dr i nki ngt e a)i nko pi t i ams , wat c hi ngt heday sg ob y .Al t ho ug hde v e l o pme nti ss l o wl ywe av i ngi nt ot hec o mmuni t y , t het r ac e so fy e s t e r y e ar sar es t i l ls e e nl ur ki ngi ne v e r yno o kandc r anny .The s eg r adualt r ans f o r mat i o nsar es i g nso fc hang i ng t i me s .
THECONCEPT Di s mi ni s hi ngGr hi st her y t he mat i c G owt pr o g r e e s i o nt os ho wt het r ans i t i o no fPudu asamar ke t s t r e e ti naday-f r o mc ul t ur al po i nto fv i e w,t heb us yar ke ts t r e e tt ot he q ui e t e rmo me nt s -t hel ang uag eandme mo r y i ts t i l lc o nt ai ns .Di s mi ni s hi ngg r o wt hi st he e xpr e s s i o nt oe xpr e s sPudus t r e e ti nade s c e ndi ngo r de ro fdo mi nanc e-f r o mb us yt o q ui e t ,whi l er e v e al i ngt heo c c ur r e nc eo f s o c i alc o nv e r g e nc e . PUDU MARKET -J ALAN PASAR BARU Whe no net hi nkso fPudu,Puduwe t mar ke ti mme di at e l yc o me st omi nd.To day , Puduwe tmar ke tb o as t sast hel ar g e s twe t mar ke t si nKual aLumpurwi t hmo r et han 1500s t al l sandi so v e rhal fac e nt ur yo l d. Theo r i g i nall o c at i o nwass i t uat e datwhe r e t hepo s to f f i c ei st o day ,b utwasl at e rmo v e d
Te xtbyAi Li ng,Phot ogr aphbyCr i s t opherNg
CONTENTS
RESEARCH FI NDI NGS STREET AS CONTAINER OF SOCIETY,CULTURE, HISTORY & MEMORY
A P HO T O B O O K OFPUDUMARKETSTREET ARC2234|ASIAN ARCHITECTURE CASE STUDY -AN ASIAN STREET
Me l i s s aKo ngWy e ng-Ts e Edi t or STREET AS AN EXPERIENCE OF URBAN LIFE
STREET AS PROGRAMMES& EVENTS
Chr i s t o p he rNg ,Ga r yCho ng Phot ogr apher s Wo ngAi Li ng Wr i t er Ca l e bOng I l l us t r at or
STREET AS LANGUAGE SEMIOTICREADING
CONCLUSION
PHOTOGRAPHYCOLLECTI ON.CREA TEDI NYEAR2014
c o n t a i n e ro f
SOCI ETY, CULTURE, HI STORY& MEMORY Wr i t erAi Li ngPhot ogr apherChr i s t o p he rNg
Pudu village existed approximately 120 years ago and were mainly occupied by Chinese settlers involved in the mining industry.Until today,itis largely populated by the Chinese community and some minor foreign workers. The streets have notchanged much for the last 50 years due to its slow development.Itremains an aging community with historical buildings from the 1980’ s and 1990’ s.Majority of them are long established smallbusiness passed from generation to another.Pudu’ s rich and culturalheritage leaves much to be desired.The shop lots which were builtin the late 1920’ s and 1930’sportartdeco features, characterized by its emphasis of horizontality and verticality.The spiralstaircases and utility spaces such as laundry rooms and toilets portray the living culture of Pudu.
“ THERETRO5 0 s I NBOLDPATTERN DI SPLAY. ” Te xtbyMe l i s s aKo ngPhot ogr aphbyChr i s t p he rNg
This streetof Pudu shows a certain charm in the static growth of modernity.The retro 50s diagonalpattern on the building’ s facade creates a very eye-capturing scene. JALAN PASAR BARU,PUDU
AGI NG BUSI NESS, WI LLSURVI VE Te xt& Phot ogr aphbyMe l i s s aKo ng
Teeming with life from big to tiny, common to uncommon,hidden to found. JALAN PASAR BARU,PUDU
OH FI SH!
Te xtbyMe l i s s aKo ngPhot ogr aphbyChr i s t o p he rNg
Man standing with a box of small live fishes,shouting to attract customers to buy. JALAN PASAR BARU,PUDU
“ SI PCOFFETHEOLDWAY. ”
Te xtbyMe l i s s aKo ngPhot ogr aphbyGa r yCho ng
This man makes the mostauthentic ‘ kopitiam’ style coffee known in the neighbourhood.Patrons also enjoy his morning treats such as soft boiled eggs and toastbread. PUDU W ET MARKET,JALAN PUDU
FORMI NGASOCI ETY
Te xt& Phot ogr aphbyMe l i s s aKo ng
Tables and chair,buckets and pails overflowing onto walkways thatline the shops,marking it’ s territory,and displaying the shop’ s identity, forming a piece of the puzzle in the landscape of the place. JALAN PASAR BARU,PUDU
COMMONI CON Te xt& Phot ogr aphbyMe l i s s aKo ng
Familiar and common icon - the ubiquitious drink stallmarks it’ s presence in moststreetalleys. JALAN PASAR BARU,PUDU
“ CULTURALI NTERSECTI ON. ” Te xt& Phot ogr aphbyMe l i s s aKo ng
The junction of life,the stages of progress,the intersection of history enrich the urban experience. JALAN PASAR BARU,PUDU
e x p e r i e n c eo f
URBANLI FE Wr i t erAi Li ngPhot ogr aphbyChr i s t o p he rNg
Despite located nextto the highly commercialized BukitBintang ,Pudu lacks the hustle bustle of the metropolis.AtPudu, there is a sense of serenity thatoverwhelms the place.Atdaybreak,the children head to school,hawkers setup their stalls and the elderly enjoy having dimsum under a tree. The pace then slows down in the later afternoon,with shop owners sitting waiting for the customers.The darkness of the night then creeps in,as the streetquiets down and the whole day rewinds again.W hatever occurred today becomes tomorrow’ s past.
SI GNBOARD Te xtbyMe l i s s aKo ngPhot ogr aphbyAi l i ng
JALAN PASAR BARU,PUDU
“ HARDSHI P I SAWAYOFLI FE” Te xtbyMe l i s s aKo ngPhot ogr aphbyChr i s t o p he rNg
An Indian women collecting cardboards and newspaper along the street. JALAN PASAR BARU,PUDU
“ CHARACTEROFDI SPLAY, APUZZLEPI ECE. ”
Te xtbyMe l i s s aKo ngPhot ogr aphbyChr i s t o p he rNg
Old electronic goods overflowed the space inside the shop,scattering outto the street.Itessentially became a character of display,a puzzle piece to the culture of living. JALAN PASAR BARU,PUDU
NARROW ALLEYWAY Te xtbyMe l i s s aKo ngPhot ogr aphbyChr i sNg
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Quietback alleyways of shop houses during the day are transformed into a smallhawker street atnight. JALAN PASAR BARU,PUDU
“ FACADESANDPERSPECTI VE. ”
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Facades tella story outfront,views from inside outgives a differentperspective,each painting a picture of the presentand the past. JALAN PASAR BARU,PUDU
“ APLACETOLI NGER. ” Te xt& Phot ogr aphbyMe l i s s aKo ng
Shelter from the heat,restfrom a hectic day,place to linger and chatwith a friend ata humble roadside stall. JALAN PASAR BARU,PUDU
PROGRAMS &EVENTS Wr i t i ngandPhot ogr aphbyAi Li ng
Pudu is a hive of activities.The original marketstreet,Jalan Pasar is now popularly known as “Teen Chee Kai�,meaning electronic street,home to shops selling audio-related and consumer electronic goods,ranging to strobe lights,CCTVs and CD-roms.Pudu is mostfamous for its wet market.Atthe junction where Jalan Pasar meets Jalan Baharu,expensive Koiand tetra guppies can be seen swimming in plastic basins or glass bottles as means of display.People from allwalks of life can be seen bargaining over fresh produce at the main market.Any imaginable type of food can be sourced here,namely poultry, vegetable,seafood and localkuihs.
Te xtbyMe l i s s aKo ngPhot ogr aphbyAi l i ng
Left:W omen selling various sorts of pre-packed cakes and pastries.Above:Slaughtering of fresh fish for sale. PUDU W ET MARKET,JALAN PUDU
“ HI DDENBREAKFASTKOPI TI AM. . . ”
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Leftpage:the bustling wetmarketin a vey early morning.Above:A hidden breakfastkopitiam inside the marketstreetwith friendly workers and the owner and chef,constanly busy making uncountable cups of coffee and tea. PUDU W ET MARKET,JALAN PUDU
I NRAI NORSHI NE
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A livelihood,a way of life,a means to provide - done daily in rain or shine - the everyday streethawker. JALAN PASAR BARU,PUDU
l a n g u a g e
SEMI OTI C READI NGS Wr i t erAi Li ngPhot ogr aphby Chr i s t o p he rNg
Semiotics is the study of signs and their relationships with whatthey signify,each other and their users. W ords,images,sounds,gestures and objects are differentforms of signs. The long stretch of five-footwalkways,pungentsmellof the market waste,the sounds of haggling and the colourfulparasols thatflood the marketare such signs thatmake Pudu truly unique.
NI GHTMOOD Te xtbyMe l i s s aKo ngPhot ogr aphbyGa r yCho ng
Nighttransforms a street,the mood changes, hustle and bustle gone,quietness envelopes, brightness stays through the streetlamps - tomorrow ushers in another day.
JALAN PASAR BARU,PUDU
SOLI TARY
Te xtbyMe l i s s aKo ngPhot ogr aphbyGa r yCho ng
A residentialold man devouring a bowlof hot soup noodles athis neighbourhood.Itwas a solitary dinner momentbutnothing concerns self consciousness. JALAN PASAR BARU,PUDU
SLAUGHTERSMELL Te xtbyMe l i s s aKo ngPhot ogr aphbyGa r yCho ng
The business of a morning marketscene is continued atnightto cater for food hawkers. PUDU W ET MARKET,JALAN PUDU
TEXTURAL
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Vandalism of paper pasted advertisments on public property makes a chaotic mess of the street’ s texturalperception. JALAN PASAR BARU,PUDU