KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 12 — The once-infamous Lorong Hantu or Ghost Lane off Jalan Petaling here is displaying a new themed art installation in conjunction with Chinese New Year, which falls on February 17 and 18.

Called Guardians of Legacy, the striking installation in the historic alleyway — now known as Kwai Chai Hong ­— is mainly inspired by the ‘cloth tiger’, a form of folk art, and also features the 12 ‘guardians’, symbolising the 12 animals of the Chinese zodiac.

Stepping onto the iconic red bridge at Kwai Chai Hong, visitors are greeted by rows of colourful lanterns adorned with cartoon-style illustrations of the 12 Chinese zodiac signs.

Further inside the lane stands this year’s centrepiece — a towering 2.1-metre-tall sculpture of a horse, heralding the upcoming Year of the Horse. The remaining 11 zodiac animals are strategically placed throughout the lane, each accompanied by brief descriptions offering visitors insight into the characteristics of every zodiac sign.

Adding a whimsical touch to the art installation, all 12 zodiac sculptures resemble oversized plush toys, with the Chinese character ‘wang’ (king) engraved on each figure, along with distinctive patterns decorating their bodies.

Cloth tiger

According to Kwai Chai Hong co-founder Zeen Chang, the art installation gets its inspiration from the cloth tiger, which was traditionally handmade by parents or grandparents and gifted to children as a symbol of protection.

“The cloth tiger originates from northern China, notably in Shanxi Province and each of them is tailor-made,” she told Bernama, adding that the Chinese word for ‘king’ is engraved on the forehead of each zodiac animal featured in the art installation to reinforce the tiger’s status as the “king of all beasts” in Chinese culture.

Conceptualised by Kwai Chai Hong co-founder Javier Chor, the installation is a tribute to “quiet gestures of love and care” because, as Chang pointed out, in many Chinese families, parents show their love to their children through actions, not words.

“As we grow older, we begin to understand this quiet form of love, instilling in us a strong sense of duty and sacrifice to honour our parents or elders, a value known as filial piety,” she said.

Elaborating on the cloth tiger, Chang said in ancient times, it was regarded as an “embroidered superhero”, charged with guarding children from evil spirits while bestowing health, strength and prosperity on them.

“The cloth tiger was placed right in the cradle, surrounded by stitched animals, each symbolising a different virtue. Essentially, every baby received its own personalised army, colourful and fiercely symbolic,” she said, adding that this year’s art installation in Kwai Chai Hong is a collaboration with health, beauty and personal care retail chain Guardian Malaysia.

Personalised care

Chor, meanwhile, said what inspired him about the cloth tiger was that no two pieces were ever made the same.

“Each one carries different motifs and well wishes, shaped by a parent’s hopes for their child — for protection, peace, health and fortune. That idea of personalised care stayed with me,” he said.

He said their Guardians of Legacy art installation grew from that belief that love and protection are expressed through thoughtful gestures, “crafted uniquely for the one they are meant to watch over.”

Chor added that at first, not many people knew the actual meaning behind the cloth tiger, with most seeing it as just a cute toy or a decoration at home.

“For this year’s installation in Kwai Chai Hong, I did some research on the cloth tiger. As I went deeper into each motif, the more inspired I became.

“I believe there is a hidden guardian in everyone. That’s why (for the art installation) I wanted to expand the cloth tiger concept to every Zodiac sign,” he said.

He said the 12 Zodiac sculptures were created with a cloth-like appearance in honour of the cloth tiger, despite being 3D printed and hand-painted to withstand Malaysia’s tropical climate.

The Guardians of Legacy art installation is open to the public from January 30 to March 8, daily from 9am to midnight. — Bernama