A cut above the rest of the fold: Malaysian paper artist Dora Harun’s captivating art

KUALA LUMPUR, March 27 — In every piece of paper, paper artist Dora Harun sees a work of art waiting to be carved out.

Her fascination for papers began when she ventured into birthday and wedding party decorations as a side hustle in 2012.

Intrigued by their versatility, Dora went on fiddling with papers for days without even eating.

“apers are so fragile, and yet so solid and unique.

“When you layer them together from end to end, they become much stronger,” the 43-year-old paper artist said.

Dora started crafting more intricate designs after paper art began gaining traction post-pandemic — Picture by Choo Choy May

In 2016, Dora became a full-time paper artist and founded her own company, DH Paper Art Studio which is currently based in Casa Tropicana, Petaling Jaya.

She landed her first large-scale project with Harper’s Bazaar magazine the same year, creating some 245 paper flowers for the title’s fashion night.

She has since crafted spectacular artworks, especially for Chinese New Year celebrations, including a 30-foot Blooms of Prosperity paper garden for Pavilion Kuala Lumpur in 2022 and a 16-feet paper dragon sculpture for IJM Land Sales Gallery this year.

For outdoor exhibitions, Dora normally recommends clients to opt for cardboard coated with paint instead of plain paper since prolonged exposure to light and moisture gradually distort the shape of paper arts.

Dora said most Malaysians quickly dismiss paper art as a children’s activity until they actually see her work.

Dora designed a 30-foot 'Blooms of Prosperity' paper garden for Pavilion Kuala Lumpur’s Chinese New Year celebrations in 2022 — Picture courtesy of Dora Harun

“Only after the Covid-19 pandemic, the demand for paper art started gaining momentum because people wanted to get artsy decorations that are cost-effective.

“That inspired me to come up with more detailed and intricate designs,” she said.

With Aidilifitri coming up, Dora is currently working on décor projects for several clients, including W Kuala Lumpur Hotel, Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre and The Melium Group.

Nevertheless, she noted that the demand for Aidilfitri decorations has been sluggish this year with some clients expected to finalise their orders just days before the festival.

Hari Raya Aidilfitri décor designed by Dora for W Kuala Lumpur Hotel — Picture courtesy of Dora Harun

Healing through art

Dora’s most personal piece to date is Veins, a four-part artwork made from tracing paper which describes premature ventricular contraction (PVC) - a type of irregular heart rhythm.

Dora was diagnosed with this condition in 2023.

“I fainted almost everyday last year and my resting heart rate went as low as 35 beats per minute.

“Each part in Veins depicts my emotions in detail, from the moment I collapse to hitting reset and regaining consciousness again.

“Tears well up in my eyes whenever I work on this project,” she said.

‘Rebloom’ is the final piece of Dora’s four-part artwork ‘Veins’ — Picture by Choo Choy May

Interestingly, she is working backwards on this project by completing the final piece of the four-part artwork first, titled Rebloom.

Rebloom will be showcased at the International Association of Hand Papermakers and Paper Artists (IAPMA) Paper Art Biennale 2024 exhibition at the Castle of Hagen, Germany this April.

Only 100 artworks were selected from around the world for the exhibition and Dora is the only Malaysian paper artist to make it into the list.

Besides gearing up for more exhibitions, Dora also has plans to conduct paper art workshops and art therapy classes for children aged between 10 and 15 years old.

In the long run, she also hopes to establish an organisation for paper artists across the country to give them a unified voice.

“Since paper art is a niche industry in Malaysia, paper artists form a close-knit community that collaborates with each other,” she said.