This ethos led to the birth of Co2_karbondioksida, a name that reflects not only their environmental mission but also the initials of their partnership: Celine and Oscar.
This Chinese New Year, as Malaysians gear up with firecrackers, lavish gift hampers, and well-stocked fridges, this duo has made a bold statement for the environment.
Their latest piece – an eco-friendly lion crafted from microplastics – stunned audiences earlier this month with its captivating dance performances.
Speaking with FMT Lifestyle, they shared their journey and the intricate process behind crafting this recycled lion costume, which they claim to be a world first.
The duo, who met while studying architecture at Taylor’s University, left their Kuala Lumpur-based jobs in 2017 to return to Muar, Johor, where they began creating murals to sustain themselves.
Their first piece in Muar was followed by many others, including one in Petaling Street. “I thought, there is so much free material around us. Why not use waste as the key elements to create art?” Lee shared.
As for the lion costume, their collaboration with Joymom’s, a local cookie business, sparked the idea. “Oscar suggested combining recycling with Chinese culture, and that’s how the eco-lion was born,” Tan said.
The project began with a challenge: creating a lion head from food-packaging waste, a material vastly different from the traditional lightweight paper used.
The Kun Seng Keng Lion and Dragon Dance Association, an international champion troupe based in Muar, lent them a damaged lion head for reconditioning.
“They were confused,” Tan recalled. “They asked us, ‘How are you going to do it?’”
The duo also enlisted help from Lee’s old primary school. “We wanted to highlight the issue of microplastics, so we asked students to collect plastic food packaging from home,” he explained.
It was a double win, as they also educated the kids about sustainability. “Within a week, they collected seven to eight boxes of packaging,” Tan noted. “We only used one box, but it shows how much plastic each household produces.”
The pair’s innovation extended to the costume’s design. “We recreated batik patterns by cutting out flower motifs in various colours,” Tan shared. “When I finished, I realised the patterns resembled those in Chinese and Indian traditional outfits. It felt so Malaysian.”
The lion’s mouth carried a hidden message: the Chinese character “Fu”, meaning “blessing”. “During Chinese New Year, it’s a reminder to share good words and happiness with those around us.”
With help from Lee’s mother, the couple took about two months to complete the costume. The process was painstaking: cutting silver strips from Milo packets for the beard, and using coffee packaging for gold accents.
“It was difficult. The lion head had to weigh under 4kg, but after attaching the plastic pieces, it reached 5kg,” Tan said. “Performers must lift it during the 10-minute performance, so it’s very challenging.”
All in all, the costume was made with 273 pieces of discarded plastic food packaging. The eco-lion debuted on Jan 3 at Glasshouse at Seputeh, and later performed at The Exchange TRX in KL.
“The public initially thought it was just another lion dance. When they learnt it was made from recycled packaging, they were so surprised,” Tan said.
“Even the lion dance association members said they had never seen one made from recycled material, and actually loved the shiny look under the sun.”
For Lee, this project carried personal meaning: his father had passed away from cancer just weeks earlier, on Dec 17. “They say lion dances chase away bad luck,” he mused.
“It was also the first time we brought my family, including my grandmother, to see one of my artworks. This performance felt like we were finally moving past misfortune.”
With microplastics linked to cancer risk, the message hit especially close to home for Lee. This lion dance wasn’t just another art project – it was a powerful statement involving an entire community.
And with their recycled lion costume, the pair has proven that even waste can be transformed into a blessing.
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