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Tan Zi Hao's The Skeleton Of Makara (The Myth Of A Myth) art installation. Photos: A+ Works Of Art

Malaysian artist Tan Zi Hao’s The Skeleton Of Makara (The Myth Of A Myth), a large-scale fibreglass and metal installation, is the sort of statement piece that makes heads turn. It isn’t a prehistoric creature nor is it a Bandai-manufactured fictional giant Japanese monster.

The work, which was commissioned by the Singapore Biennale last year, is deeply rooted in South-East Asian myth and Hindu culture. It is his interpretation of the makara, a hybrid of different animals, typically half-mammal and half-fish.