Over-Commercialized Concubine Lane, A Lost Heritage.

Rene Enriquez's earlier sketch of Concubine Lane and......

Concubine Lane which has been around well over century has sadly given up its image to over-commercialization.

....a few months later, an old building with new paint.

“It has been destroyed by over – commercialization” said Khor Seow Hooi an avid artist who has done thirty paintings of Concubine Lane from earlier times until recently.

“I used to come in the mornings and watch the residents hang their birds for an airing for a few hours.

 

Concubine Lane by Khor Seow Hooi

“Now they place umbrellas and stalls on the lane. It covers the building and hides the structures that gave concubine lane its character. It has destroyed the image of Concubine Lane” said Khor.

 

Umbrella's and stalls hide the image of Concubine Lane

Officially known as Panglima Lane, it earned its reputation due to the rich tin miners who reputedly kept their second wives here. 

It had in recent years been a focal point of visitors who never failed to scout it out due to its notorious reputation.

Its narrow lane and old time structure evoked an image of Old town making a walk down its short lane a nostalgic experience.

But that feeling is now become a memory as heritage has given way to commercialization.

Another artist, Rene Enriquez who regularly sketched buildings around Ipoh had done a sketch on the eastern entrance to Concubine Lane. 

“I sketched it a year before. The building with the “Big John’ sign still evoked that Old Town feel of nostalgia.

“I was taken aback just a few months later. Now it’s an old building trying to look good with new paint. Somehow it doesn’t blend in with the theme Heritage”

Another artist from the Urban Sketcher Ipoh group, Steven  (not his real name) said all the original structures are gone. 


“It’s pointless now as it doesn’t look like Ipoh in the past,  it’s all like ‘rojak’ now.  It can only be similar but it won’t be the same”.

All agreed that the lane was congested with stalls that sell common items, which can be available at any night market, and hoped the relevant local authority would look into the situation.

JAG