The Lost Malaya

I don’t usually review places or things outside my personal notes here but this time I can’t resist. Last Saturday while I was in JB to take care of some stuff and to meet few people there; my friend Joyce introduced me to a new place (a month old to date) called “The Lost Malaya”. What I found fascinating is actually the name itself, and Chris Thompson’s (the owner) collection of street photography from all across Asia for the past 15 years. The ambience from the British colonial era in Malaya (1930’s-1940’s time frame) and the old bungalow fronted with Lido Beach make the place even more special. Apart from the street photography gallery of various artist artworks at the ground floor, there are few other Asian art portraits and drawings from the time frame all over the wall from the stairs up to the upper level. One thing that catches my eyes was my personal favorite of the great Alphonse Mucha pieces printed on wood panel that hang beside Chris’s camera collections along with Alisa Lamlertkittikul (Chris’s wife) class graduation photos that give this place a little bit of personal and private sentiments to the atmosphere even though the art nouveau elements does seems to be a little bit out of place. But what makes it special as told by Chris that he found the Mucha’s piece from someone’s garbage during his travel from some place in Asia; that later I should agree that the piece deserves it own little territory on the wall. Another man’s thrash is another man’s treasure. So, if you are a fan of street journalism photos like me, this place should be a stop by next time you feel like having a coffee break and some drinks if you pass by Lido.

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