Kwai Chai Hong’s “Drama Queen” Installation Pays Homage To Chinese Opera In Malaysia

Malaysian artist Tan Sher Lynn brings elements of Cantonese opera to life through her artworks, especially the art of water sleeves.

Credit: Adeline Leong/TRP

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Kwai Chai Hong, in partnership with ThinkCity, introduces its latest Mid-Autumn installation “Drama Queen” as an homage to Chinese Opera in Malaysia.

As someone who has not watched any Chinese opera shows, it was interesting to learn that there are several types of Chinese opera such as the Peking opera or the Beijing opera. For this installation, the focus is on Cantonese opera which is popular among the Chinese community in Southeast Asia.

The age-old art form can be traced back to the Three Kingdoms Period. However, the interest in Chinese opera is gradually disappearing (as highlighted in the film Titoudao).

As such, “Drama Queen” aims to preserve the memory of Chinese opera in Malaysia. The installation is designed to spark people’s curiosity about Chinese opera and inspire them to learn about the beautiful art form and storytelling.

Masks at the entrance. Image: Adeline Leong/TRP

Malaysian artist Tan Sher Lynn, also the Creative Technologist from FABU, created two artworks “In The Mind of a Doyenne” and “Dancing Sleeves” to do just that.

Tan had never watched Chinese Opera before so she spent a few months researching and studying. This included watching live Chinese opera performances at DPAC, where she learned about the art of water sleeves from the performers.

“In The Mind of a Doyenne” is inspired by the headdress worn by the Chinese Opera Doyenne. The large installation features a circular cloth tarp where guests can experiment with shadow play and take beautiful shots of themselves in opera costumes.

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Meanwhile, “Dancing Sleeves” is a phygital (physical+digital) art piece inspired by the costumes and fluid arm-in-sleeve movements by the actors known as “water sleeves” (水袖 in Chinese opera). It’s named as such because the movement resembles the flow of water.

In Chinese opera, the sleeve movements help actors convey elegance and exaggerated emotions on stage.

The “Dancing Sleeves” installation is displayed as large cloth banners that can flow with the wind to mimic sleeve movements. Guests can also scan the QR code next to the banners to watch the artwork come to life.

Dancing Sleeves is inspired by the art of water sleeves in Chinese opera. Image: Adeline Leong/TRP

For the best experience, it’s better to see the art installation at night. The whole “Drama Queen” installation truly comes to life when it’s dark as the lights illuminating the artworks lend a bit of drama.

To further enhance the immersive experience, there’s also a live Chinese opera performance by KSK Art Crew troupe founded by opera master and doyenne Madam Kam Sin Kiew.

Kuala Lumpur-based Kam is a Hong Kong Cantonese opera artiste with more than 40 years of performing experience. She has also taught the art form for many years.