Life-sized sculptures of tiger are on display at the Kwai Chai Hong (鬼仔巷), the heritage back alley located in Kuala Lumpur’s Chinatown, from Jan 14 to Feb 20, 2022, as part of the celebration to usher in the Year of the Tiger this Chinese New Year.
The latest art installation themed ‘Live Wild & Prosper’ (虎星高照迎新年), not only brings the thrills and excitement to visitors but also spotlights the importance of saving the Malayan tiger and encourages supporters of Kwai Chai Hong to help raise awareness to protect the endangered species.
Seasoned artist Alice Chang of Lai Lai Art Studio returns with the ‘Malayan Tiger Family’ sculpture, depicting a pair of parent tigers looking after their cub, portraying love, hope, nurture, protection and support.
In support of WWF-Malaysia’s conservation efforts, 100% of the proceeds from the sale of the sculpture will be donated to help save the Malayan tiger.
WWF-Malaysia’s director of partnerships Helina Yow said with less than 200 Malayan tigers left in the country, the time to act is now to save the Malayan tiger from imminent extinction.
“By collaborating with Kwai Chai Hong, we open ourselves to an audience who appreciate art and culture. Hopefully with their new understanding of the Malayan tiger, everyone can do their part and together, we will make a difference,” she said.
Another highlight complementing the Malayan Tiger Family sculpture is the artwork titled Stretch Out by artist Odd with his rendition of avant-garde stretch fabric and the ancient art of Chinese paper-cut. It fuses new and old techniques that encapsulates the essence of the modern Chinese community.
The symmetrical pattern formed in traditional paper cutting sees a mirror effect, similar to conservation efforts of the Malayan tiger which translates to positive change.
The stretched fabric represents resilience and each anchor point represents the connections that sends a message of inclusivity at Kwai Chai Hong where people from all walks of life are welcome to share, learn, celebrate Chinese culture, and in this case, for a noble cause.
Bai Chuan Management managing partner Zeen Chang said, “Chinese New Year is a big deal in Chinese culture as it symbolizes the closing of the old year and welcomes in luck and prosperity to the new one. For the Year of the Tiger, my team and I wanted to do something special and meaningful, not just for the community around us but also the larger ecosystem which we live in.
“It’s devastating for the Malayan tiger to be on the brink of extinction, and we want to do our part, to influence and educate the public through art. We are fortunate to have met such wonderful artists who share the same passion as us. There is no effort too small and no help too little, we urge everyone to be a part of that change with us”.
The sponsor for the Live Wild & Prosper art installation is Tiger Beer.
Tiger Beer Malaysia marketing manager Joyce Lim said with a brand name and identity associated with the magnificent animal, and the 2022 Chinese New Year being the Year of the Tiger they are proud to lend their support to Kwai Chai Hong for its initiative to save the Malayan tigers.
“We believe that everyone has an inner tiger, so let’s make this the year we roar together to champion a meaningful cause.”
Project Kwai Chai Hong is Bai Chuan Management’s first project which features the restoration of the façade of 10 heritage shop houses and rejuvenation of the laneway in between Lorong Panggung and Jalan Petaling in Kuala Lumpur’s Chinatown.
