PETALING JAYA, Nov 15 (Sin Chew Daily) — Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Deepavali is not celebrated the way it used to be. Shopping malls throughout the country nonetheless still put up decorations to celebrate the festive season. 

Shopping mall Fahrenheit 88 displays nine pieces of hand paintings depicting kolam by Vivian Ng Suet Yuan, a Malaysian artist.

Kolam is a form of drawing by using rice flour commonly seen during Deepavali.

Ng said colorful rice flour is used to make kolam but she opts to use spray paint and hand paint to complete the kolam to offer a different visual effect. 

She completed the kolam with spray paint and acrylic paint to reflect warmth, power and creativity.

"Spray paint normally leads one to relate to street art, but I love its shining colors. I choose to use different types of color schemes by integrating cool and warm color series to reflect the characteristics and colors of traditional Indian culture.

"Spray paint shows the various lines of colors featured between coldness and warmth, thus offering a greater room for imagination," she said.

Hand painting offers warmth. She uses white color of the acrylic paint to draw the traditional images on colorful spray paint.

"The images are a variety of lanterns, leaves and flowers, including lotus. There are also images of peacock and elephant to depict Indian's faith.

Ng, who is also the founder of Niuniu Art Gallery, said she hopes the hand painting of kolam will bring Malaysians good luck.

"Malaysia is a multicultural society. As a Chinese, I do not speak Tamil, but the Indian culture is related to our daily lives, especially food.

"Art transcends language, skin color and religion. I am willing to draw to offer peace and positive energy to the world," she said.