Lat standing beside Rumah Lat Dan Galeri, a project near Ipoh in Perak that has been delayed by the pandemic outbreak. A launch date will be announced in the coming months. Photo: Handout
Remember the house in Lat’s beloved graphic novel The Kampung Boy?
The actual house in Batu Gajah, Perak, is long gone, but a reconstructed version – located some 30 minutes away from the village the artist grew up in – will be open to the public later this year.
It was supposed to launch in July but the pandemic outbreak has scuppered those plans.
When it eventually opens, Rumah Lat Dan Galeri, on the outskirts of Ipoh, will offer a glimpse into the life of renowned Malaysian cartoonist Datuk Mohammad Nor Khalid, better known as Lat.
At Lat’s house, you can travel back in time, complete with various odds and ends from his childhood as well as furniture, mostly from the pre-World War II era.
This includes a dressing table, a set of table and chairs “so heavy that you need two people to lift each one”, a framed mirror, a rack for hanging clothes and a cupboard he remembered from his childhood that ended up as storage space for his beloved vinyl records and shirts when he about 19.
Also read: Malaysian-born comics creator dreams up a world of words that come to life
The cover of Lat’s 'The Kampung Boy' graphic novel, first published in 1979.
The cover of Lat’s 'The Kampung Boy' graphic novel, first published in 1979.
“I put a lock on that cupboard because my housemates would look through my records and even wear my shirts when I wasn’t home. These were among my prized possessions at that time, you save up for ages to buy records and my shirts were really very nice because I believed in looking dashing at that age, ” says Lat with a laugh as he recalls this memory.
Lat, 69, is looking forward to having visitors come to Rumah Lat, describing it as a very personal project, which has been supported by the Perak state government.
“I drew the house from memory for The Kampung Boy. When you are nine, you remember every single detail and I have very fond memories from those times. There was no electricity and no water, but to a kid, it was a big treat to grow up in the kampung, ” he says.
The idea for The Kampung Boy, first published in 1979, came from his travels to the United States, when he realised that many people didn’t know Malaysia. Inspired by his childhood, the book tells stories set in a typical Malaysian kampung. Rumah Lat is modelled after that same house.
Lat hopes that Rumah Lat will stand tall and proud for years to come, capturing a sense of history and nostalgia for the current generation, and beyond, to appreciate.
At the gallery, expect to see a selection of works spanning some four decades of Lat’s career, dating back to 1964. For fans who have been following his work for decades, it will be great to get reacquainted with his signature drawings and illustrations of everyday Malaysian scenes.
“I am very excited to show all of this to people. It will be a familiar sight to the older ones, but I think it will be something new and interesting to some of the younger generation. As much as I am enjoying putting this project together, at the end of the day it is not for me – it is for the future, ” he concludes.
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Post time 6-6-2020 04:14 AMFrom the mobile phone|Show all posts
Sangat bagus usaha ni... lagipun aku rasa generasi bebudak sekarang banyak yang tak tau pasal Lat sebab diorang mostly membesar dengan gadget, dan tak kenal dengan komik lat macam zaman kita budak2 dulu.. dan aku harap projek ni dapat sambutan, sebab dulu ada company yang buka restoran Lat's Place di Johor, tapi beberapa tahun je dah tutup...
sukanya kartun ni dulu2 dekat astro... opening dia yang catchy.. storyline dia yang best.... especially bila mat kena sumpah jadi kecik tu naik opah jadi labi babi...
tapi maps tu pun melingkup harap2 yang ni pun tak lingkup jugak la
Post time 6-6-2020 09:47 AMFrom the mobile phone|Show all posts
Perak ni antara negeri yg pd i best nk g visit, haha pdhal xde sdare pon kat sane, tapi i suke environment perak ni, ntah xtau camne nk ckp. Cpt la hbs pandemik ni nk g makan kat ipohhhhh nk g rumah lat niiih
Post time 6-6-2020 10:08 AMFrom the mobile phone|Show all posts
Kena buat mcm sekampung gitu..sbb si mat suka pi berjln dgn kengkawan dia...aku siap beli kampung boy tu...and kena ads aktiviti jgk..takleh pegun gitu...
Post time 6-6-2020 10:38 AMFrom the mobile phone|Show all posts
Iols beli komik kampung boy edisi terhad kat mph. Besar gak komik tu macam album. Ayah iols pun beli tau komik kampung boy. Kalau jumpa kat mana2 mesti iols baca..reminiscene of the old
Kampung kek Perak jenis rumah sebiji saiz kecil kat tanah yang luas. Biasa orang datang membawang 10 minit je pastu nak balik dah. Kitorang jarang lepak2 rumah bestie. Suka bercekau tapi kuat kunjung mengunjung
Author|Post time 6-6-2020 10:44 AMFrom the mobile phone|Show all posts
nipskacang replied at 6-6-2020 09:47 AM
Perak ni antara negeri yg pd i best nk g visit, haha pdhal xde sdare pon kat sane, tapi i suke env ...
Sebab Perak ni tak banyak arus pembangunan..pembangunan Lembah Klang semua ditarik ke Negeri Sembilan dan Melaka.
Tapi negeri NI banyak khazanah sebab Perak pernah jadi negeri paling maju di Malaya sebelum zaman merdeka dulu. Selepas kejatuhan zaman lombong Bijih timah Terus merudum ekonomi Perak....orang Perak kebanyakan ya kerja luar dari negeri Perak lepastu.
Banyak jugalah rumah pusaka ditinggalkan....Aku pernah jumpa orang jual barang terpakai Kat Bangi...mostly barang yang dia jual tu datang dari negeri Perak.
Post time 6-6-2020 12:39 AM
变色卡
Post time 6-6-2020 06:14 AM
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