Chinese New Year decorations adorned the majority of the malls, in Kuching, adding an artistic touch to the festive atmosphere. Even the cowboy town — Siniawan Old Town — was not left out this year, as a long dragon hangs from above. As the Dragon year approaches, more of this mythical creature can be seen among the various flowers and lanterns.
Many people regard these decorations as works of art that evoke the spirit of the festive season. It is one of the traditional preparations that Chinese people do every year prior to the first day. While many people used to just stick prosperity wishes on the walls of their homes, elaborate decorations such as flowers, lanterns, and others now share the space.
Bromeliad collector Fabian Kong shared the art he created for this Chinese New Year, a saikei (planted landscape) inspired by the year’s zodiac, the Dragon.
“To represent the dragon’s body, I used a particular kind of cactus that has a scaly-looking stem.
“Meanwhile, I create the dragon’s head using magic clay, and the rock is made of discarded polystyrene coated with cement. Then I paint the dragon accordingly,” Kong said, as he described the process of creating his planted landscape.
Since 2020, the retired teacher has been passionate about crafting a dish garden, and revealed that he created the dragon’s saikei as a way of expressing himself.
“Gardening can also be considered an art form. It is not just for plant enthusiasts, but also a platform for art lovers to express themselves,” said Kong.
Bursting with the colours of “ong”, the red display seen at the Plaza Merdeka shopping mall is a handcrafted piece by Christopher Paul Flenin. The 45-year-old decorator finds Chinese New Year to be one of his favourite festive celebrations to work on. Prior to the celebration, he studies the various Chinese New Year decorations, decides what he should do for the year’s theme, and orders any necessary decorative items online.
In addition to the traditional decoration of incorporating the year’s zodiac animal into his work, Paul experiments with bamboo, lanterns, flowers such as mei hua (plum blossoms) and peony, and other Chinese New Year elements.
“As this year’s decorating is based on the majestic dragon with the element of wood, I researched the many Chinese New Year decorations in terms of materials used, structure, and flowers used.”
An event decorator for three decades, he shared that, while adhering to the feng shui of the decorations is important, the positioning of each decoration is vital.
“Furthermore, I must be careful not to use colours such as white and blue in my decorations, as many consider these to be taboo for Chinese New Year.”
Counsellor Connie Tan, who shares the same sentiment, makes an effort to decorate her home accordingly. Despite the recent demise of her father-in-law, she believed that placing pink blossoms in her home would bring good fortune, revitalise the living space, and make it more comfortable.
“I have always believed that self-engagement in floral arrangements has a beneficial impact on one’s state of mind and emotions. Seeing beautiful things can keep us happy,” she added.
Neng Kho Razali is enthusiastic about art, and her work this year is highly influenced by the Year of the Dragon. Sharing further, the Malay-Chinese descent incorporates the Chinese dragon into her artwork “because the dragon is a mythical and mystical creature that exists in almost every culture despite its looks.”
Leaning towards creative arts, the fashion entrepreneur releases her products in green, the colour of most dragons shown.
“I’ve also incorporated dragon prints into my bucket hat design.”
With an eye for art, Neng would always look for aesthetic elements to add into her fashion pieces. This year, like the previous years, Neng and her family would pay a visit to their ah kong’s residence on the eve of Chinese New Year and to her relatives on the first day. And, like Kong, Paul, and Connie, she would marvel at the spirit of Chinese New Year.
