Forget pandas. From now until May 8, it’s a tapir invasion at Publika. Aimed at raising public awareness (particularly amongst the younger set) on the Malayan tapir’s possible extinction, the Malayan Tapir Awareness Campaign exhibition is a collaboration between local arts collective ArtSemble, The Malaysian Nature Society, Perhilitan, UEM Sunrise and CIMB, in conjunction with World Tapir Day on April 27. According to Artsemble co-founder Chong Kean Foong, the collective has been working with children in primary schools, art classes and kindergartens since 2014, producing 3,000 (to suggest the number of surviving tapirs today) miniature clay tapir figurines for the Tapi Tapir Project.
Currently, the tapir figurines are on display at the Boulevard in Publika. Apart from the exhibition, there will also be children’s story-telling, tapir figurines clay-making, face painting and a tapir-related merchandise bazaar selling postcards, books, key chains and t-shirts on the weekends. All proceeds raised will go towards the Malaysian Nature Society’s ongoing efforts to educate the public on the plight of the Malayan tapir.
The Malayan Tapir Awareness Campaign exhibition is at the Boulevard, Publika until May 8. For updates visit www.facebook.com/PublikaGallery.