Woke up this afternoon/evening to read the headlines saying they are going to tear down the Pudu Jail walls tonight.
First reaction was What. The. Fxck?
No, really.
Did they say anything about wanting to remember the walls?
Preserving a section?
Perhaps?
The mural is, after all, quite a landmark.
No.
All they say is tear tear tear... for road extensions because that area is very heavy.
I remember making this an issue in my second year essay.
I did my research and saw the monstrosity that they want to replace it with.
They want to get rid of a place with a story and a soul and replace it with an empty shell for profit?
At least consider marking out the original prison boundaries?
Like they did with the Berlin Wall.
Do something that will remind people that there was once a prison in that place.
Not just any prison but a prison with infamous inmates and a prison that has lived through the darkest times of the country.
I've always found Pudu Jail very interesting.
Because the first thing I was told about the prison was "The paintings on the walls are very pretty"
And all this wonderful stories about how wonderful the paintings are and how it was painted by the people 'living' inside.
And then I found out what a prison is FOR... and found it really interesting that it is encased in beauty but the inside is the complete opposite.
Talk about trying to paint a pretty picture, huh.
I've said this once and I'll say it again... If a country cannot even begin to appreciate buildings steeped in history then what is the point of trying to build to make it look like we're a first world country?
There is nothing wrong with preserving heritage buildings.
There is nothing wrong with converting the interiors into modern day spaces while preserving the exterior.
They do that all over the world and yet, they can't do it here?
Must it be one or the other? Why are people so narrow minded when it comes to this?
Something tells me this won't be the last heritage building to bite the dust.
