When Painting Becomes Food

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Artist I Gede Agung Jemana Murti participated in the Kick Off event of UOB Painting of The Year 2024 at Remboelan restaurant, Senayan City, Jakarta, on Tuesday (7/5/2024). Jemana won the Bronze award for the Established Artist category in the UOB Painting of The Year 2023. His artwork became an inspiration for the Es Phantasma menu at Remboelan.

There is something different about activities related to the world of painting. Paintings are presented, but they have been adapted into a culinary menu. Paintings seem to turn into food for the mouth to be tasted and penetrated into the body.

"I create paintings by spinning them. It is recommended that the drink from this painting should also be stirred first before enjoying," said artist I Gusti Agung Gede Jemana Murti on Tuesday (7/5/2024) at Remboelan restaurant, Senayan City, Jakarta.

Jemana is originally from Bali and resides in her place of birth. She was invited to Jakarta by the organizers of the 14th UOB Painting of The Year Kick Off.

UOB Painting of The Year (PoY) is a prestigious art competition. Jemana is one of the winners who received the Bronze award in the Established Artist category at the UOB PoY 2023.

Let us reflect on the delicate balance between tradition and modernity, and the importance of preserving cultural heritage.

Jemana's work entitled "Phantasma 2" with an abstract style of three-dimensional relief printing in shades of blue. This work is adapted by Remboelan's management in collaboration with UOB to become a drink menu.

The beverage, which is also named after Jemana's work, Es Phantasma, has two parts, the top and bottom. The bottom part consists of squeezed orange juice and lemongrass, while the top part is a solution of blue-purple butterfly pea flowers.

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The Kick Off event for the UOB Painting of The Year 2024 was held at Remboelan, Senayan City, Jakarta on Tuesday (7/5/2024). The event introduced culinary menus inspired by three paintings created by the winners of the UOB Painting of The Year 2023 art competition.

Jemana's work is based on traditional Balinese carving which was once done by hand. He replaces that carving technique with a three-dimensional digital printing method using plastic material. Jemana also uses artificial intelligence applications.

Also read: IDF Looks for New Ways to Live the Arts

Jemana's work is like an artifact that becomes the antithesis of Balinese culture and at the same time illustrates a future filled with plastic that does not align with human desires.

"Let us reflect on the delicate balance between tradition and modernity, and the importance of preserving cultural heritage," as written in the Phantasma Ice Cream menu book.

Painting becomes inspiration

During the Kick Off event for UOB PoY 14, Head of Strategic Communication and Brand for UOB Indonesia Maya Rizano introduced for the first time that a painting can be an inspiration for any product, including culinary. The event was attended by Bea The Tan, Head of Consumer Banking UOB Indonesia, as well as judges Melati Suryodarmo and Heri Pemad. Another judge, Agung Hujatnikajenong, was unable to attend.

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Artist Sultan Agung was featured in the Kick Off event for UOB Painting of The Year 2024, held at Remboelan, Senayan City, Jakarta on Tuesday (7/5/2024). The painting, which won the Silver award for the Emerging Artist category in UOB PoY 2023, serves as inspiration for the Asmaraloka Sega Rames culinary menu at Remboelan restaurant.

Artist Suvi Wahyudianto, the winner of UOB PoY 2018, was also present. Suvi was asked to share her activities after winning the UOB 2018 competition. She shared that she recently appeared in an exhibition in Hong Kong.

Previously, he was involved in managing a free school in West Tulang Bawang (Tubaba), Lampung. In addition, he completed his S-2 studies at the Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB) and collaborated with a Kalimantan-based artist. On that occasion, two other UOB PoY winners were also present, and their works were adapted for the menu at Remboelan. The work of artist Sultan Putra, who won the Silver award for the Emerging Artist 2023 category, titled "Dear Mothers," became a dish on the menu called Sego Rames Asmaraloka.

The painting "Dear Mothers" features a mother carrying a toddler. Sultan utilized blue hues inspired by a dish called nasi gurih bunga telang (blue butterfly pea flower rice) to depict the painting. The blue rice is combined with white rice.

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The menu list of Sega Rames Asmaraloka. This culinary adaptation is based on a painting by Sultan Putra, winner of the Silver award for the Emerging Artist category in the UOB Painting of The Year 2023. It was showcased at the Kick Off UOB Painting of The Year 2024 event at Remboelan, Senayan City, Jakarta on Tuesday (7/5/2024).

Combination dishes of the two types of rice are served with various traditional Indonesian side dishes, such as golden yellow corn fritters to illustrate the abundant blessings of the Indonesian soil. Followed by vegetable salad as a manifestation of natural abundance. Dried tempeh chili as a symbol of human creativity. And pickled eggs as an illustration of natural nutrition.

Also read: New Genre Butet Calligrams

There is also smoked chicken meat and fried liver sambal dish from Klungkung. Both imply the passion and spirit to protect and preserve the abundance of Indonesia's natural resources.

Next, there is another work by Begok Oner, winner of the Most Promising Artist of The Year category in 2023. Begok talks about distortion in virtual space. He offers a multisensory exploration of perception and misperception.

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The menu list for Samsara Maya Mango Ice. This culinary creation was adapted from a painting by Bedog Oner, the recipient of the Most Promising of The Year award for UOB Painting of The Year 2023. It was displayed during the Kick Off of UOB Painting of The Year 2024 at Remboelan, Senayan City, Jakarta on Tuesday (7/5/2024).

Resto Remboelan adapted Begok's work into a dessert. The name of the dish is Samsara Maya Mango Ice. There is a sensation of sticky rice at the bottom of this drink bowl. Sticky rice to illustrate a solid foundation and to solidify our perception of reality. Pure mango juice was given to illustrate the dynamic landscape of digital media. Then there is the purplish blue butterfly pea flower jelly which illustrates the focus point of the viewing lens.

Works of originality will be considered.

The drink is accompanied by coconut fruit and its derivatives. This symbolizes the fragmented nature of our thoughts. Moreover, it represents the depth and complexity of our digital existence.

Originality

UOB PoY 2024 Kick Off is designed to prepare for the announcement of the winners of the competition in October 2024. The jury, Melati Suryodarmo, reminded that there are basic considerations for determining the winner.

"The selection of winners will consider the issue of sustainability in the works of the artists. In addition, works of appropriation will not be evaluated. Only works of originality will be considered," said Melati.

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The menu list for Es Phantasma. This cuisine is adapted from a painting by I Gusti Gede Agung Jemana Murti, who won the Bronze award for the Established Artist category in the UOB Painting of The Year 2023. It was featured in the Kick Off UOB Painting of The Year 2024 at Remboelan, Senayan City, Jakarta, on Tuesday (7/5/2024).

Heri Pemad mentioned that participants from outside Java are still expected in this competition. At least, this will further realize the diversity of works from the archipelago.

"UOB should hold a Kick Off like this outside Java too," said Heri Pemad.