KOTA KINABALU: Japson Wong, a marine biologist-turned-up-cycling artist, is now collaborating with more entities to raise awareness about wildlife.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, he curated several life-sized sculptures of wildlife species, including a three-foot-long whale shark.
These sculptures have been showcased in public exhibitions, including at the Wonders of Wilderness (WOW 1.0) Sabah Art Gallery Art Space here and the Tanjung Aru Marine Ecosystem Centre (Tame).
"Those sculptures are impactful in educating people. It's different when you simply tell them a whale shark is three feet long versus showing them a life-sized sculpture that conveys how massive they are in the sea.
"By seeing these life-sized creations, children's curiosity is sparked, prompting them to want to learn more," he said during the recent launch of Shangri-La Tanjung Aru Resort's (STAR) Foster Influencer Programme.
Wong said that the 12 animal sculptures — including orangutans, proboscis monkeys, sun bears, whale sharks and dugongs — were made from discarded materials such as polycarbonate and signboards.
To ensure durability against the elements, he recently added fibreglass as a touch-up to his artworks.
Wong, who is also the chief executive officer of Tame centre, expressed his gratitude to the resort for adopting his sculptures for three months to continue spreading awareness as the centre relocates.
STAR launched this innovative campaign to highlight Bornean wildlife by inviting influencers to foster one-of-a-kind animal sculptures starting Dec 4.
Participants, known as "Foster Influencers", will adopt a sculpture, name it and pledge to share stories about the animal and its role in the ecosystem on social media.
The influencers' signatures, names, and social media handles will be displayed on plaques attached to the sculptures.