Ipoh 2023 - Ipoh Book Xcess and Yasmin Ahmad Special Exhibition

After all the museum visit, it was time to wander around town again. Seriously, Ipoh Old Town is really really small, so we decided to spend some time at the bookstore. They have a nice Book Xcess bookstore housed in an old bank. The building itself was an attraction. 

Just so happened that there is a Yasmin Exhibition on-going at the bookstore. The poster says it is at KongHeng Museum, which is housed at the basement of Book Xcess. Why does a bookstore has a basement? Cause long time ago, banks have safe box services and vault to keep gold. And since this bookstore is housed inside an old bank, the basement has also been converted to a store, but without actually losing any of it's banking charm. You'll see. Read on.

In case you don't know who Yasmin Ahmad is, she is a famous movie and commercial producer. She has already passed away, but her movies are well loved by Malaysia for it's simplicity and authenticity of a Malaysian life. They can be rather slow, but quite beautifully shot, and very simple. Her commercials on the other hand, are usually tear jerkers, especially those holiday commercials which she is famous for. One of her most famous work is of Tan Hong Ming's love story, which is super sweet. I think I'm leave a video at the end for you.

To see her exhibition, (probably ended by the time you see this), just follow her poster down to the basement. 

And into the vault you go. See, told you this bookstore was charming.

The museum exhibition, small and simple. The bars from the old bank adds a nice touch to this place.

I've not seen all her movies, but I have seen Sepet, a love story between a Malay girl and a Chinese boy. It's one of those young and innocent love story between two different races. The girl is super sweet, and the boy is super Ah Beng. 

The whole exhibition is a tribute to Yasmin's life work.

I thought it was very nicely put.

It's nice to see someone took the time to put this up to share with all Malaysians. 

What the basement looked like. Remember, this used to be an old bank! I wonder if the newer generation have ever been inside a bank before. Do they still have safety boxes in banks? 

The office cabinets are still here. Now used to display booked instead.

And some of the books are displayed on saving boxes. I have been inside a bank's safety box room before. It was pretty cool, something old school you see in the movies. It takes two keys to open the safety box, one from you, and one from the bank. I can't remember if it still works that way. They even have a ladder inside so that they can bring the boxes that are high up down for you. And you have an area where you can conduct your private business in. Eventually I have to go back there one day.....

Leaving you here with a clip of Tan Hong Ming In Love.