Behold this whimsical sculpture before you the Gedung Rumput Sculpture. It adds a touch of playful charm to George Town. This steel-rod artwork is found on Queen Street. It stands near the intersection with China Street.
The Gedung Rumput Sculpture is one of the steel-rod sculptures installed in George Town in 2013. The sculpture’s story might surprise you. At first glance, it appears to show a cow pulling a cart of grass while its owner naps.
But the story has a twist. Cartoonist Reggie Lee created the caricature on which the sculpture is based. He says the cow is trying to pole vault over a wall. The cow believes the grass is greener on the other side. Meanwhile, the owner is sound asleep.
The Gedung Rumput Sculpture has a deeper meaning. It commemorates the street’s Malay name. Queen Street is Lebuh Queen in Malay. Though the British named it after Queen Charlotte, locals knew it as Gedung Rumput. This means grass godown. The name refers to sheds that once stored grass. This grass fed livestock. Bullocks were the primary animals. Carts parked along this wide street.
Queen Street itself has a rich history. Captain Francis Light laid out the original grid of George Town. Queen Street was part of this grid. It was named for Queen Charlotte the wife of King George III. Queen Street became an enclave for working-class Indians. The Hokkiens called Queen Street Cap3-Jee33-Keng3 Chu3. This means twelve houses. It refers to twelve identical townhouses once located here.
In 1906 the Opium & Spirit Farm Offices were built on Queen Street. Star Publications occupied it for many years. The building has been restored. It now houses The Star Pitt Street. Across the street are some of George Town’s oldest shophouses. They date back to the early 19th century. These simple structures predate the tin boom. That boom ushered in an age of prosperity.
As you stand before the Gedung Rumput Sculpture consider its layers of meaning. It is a tribute to local history. It is a playful work of art. It sparks the imagination. It reminds us that things are not always as they seem. The Gedung Rumput Sculpture is a special part of Penang’s cultural heritage. It invites you to explore the stories hidden in plain sight.