Bites of culture: Indian food inspiration in art

One look at US-based hyperreal food artist Sarasvathy T. Kothandaraman’s Vada Pav oil painting and you would be forgiven for wanting to take a bite of it. She believes that the lifelike representation of beloved dishes, such as her paintings of chola bhatura, dosa and sambar, and jalebi, evoke a deep sense of nostalgia and cultural pride. “Both Indian and international audiences are captivated by the technical skill, creativity, and cultural richness of these works. They are curious about dish names, and even ingredients. This prompted me to write the history of these dishes on my website," says Kothandaraman. She began her artistic journey in Singapore in 2011, initially focusing on landscapes and then transitioning to still life.

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However, she felt these did not reflect her identity. In 2016, she discovered hyperrealism and subsequently moved to the US in 2017. “Various works from renowned hyperreal artists, especially in food, made me realise that Indian food had not been explored in this context. It marked the beginning of my journey in depicting Indian food as hyperrealistic art. Being self-taught artist, I tried various mediums, but settled on oil painting because it dries slowly, allowing me to work in layers. This enables the creation of intricate details and textures that mimic real-life surfaces."

She spends considerable time observing food for subtle variations in colours and textures. She then takes as many as 100 photographs, selecting an image that captures details accurately. “The longevity of my art stems from unique concepts, meticulously detailed style, strategic collaborations and an active online presence to enhance visibility," says Kothandaraman.

For Chile-based Ana Patankar, a specialist in character design and comic illustrations, Instagram engagement has helped build a market for her art. With a global client list, her online visibility has helped her be selective about the concepts she works on. Her illustrations bring together elements of food and puns, inspired from popular and iconic Indian films, songs, and serials. For example, her cartoon Kheeramandi is a riff on the Heeramandi series , Mojito-lika is based on the Monjolika character from the movie Bhool Bhulaiyaa and Manjummel Fries is based on the Malayalam film Manjummel Boys. An applied arts graduate from Pune, Patankar moved to Chile in 2012 as part of a tech entrepreneurship programme, after a few years of working in advertising and then as a freelance illustrator. “I love food from all over the world but living in the Patagonian forests of Chile for over 10 years, I especially miss the variety and availability of Indian cuisine. That nostalgia translated to designing food comic characters and situations. I also love Indian movies with their iconic songs and dialogues which add more fun and puns to my work," she says.

“It’s interesting how food is both common and personal," says Chennai-based sound engineer-turned-food miniaturist Shilpa Mitha. Initially, with no interest to speak of in art or craft, Mitha says that she randomly turned to paper quilling jewellery and sculptures. In 2011, wanting to make a pair of burger-patterned earrings for herself, she learnt the basics of clay modelling from her mother. What started off as a hobby then took on a life of its own. While she did experiment with subjects other than food, including sculptures, she found that the challenge of making a food miniature was exciting. Today, when Mitha announces a miniature sale at her venture Sueño Souvenir, she is usually sold out in a short time.

Some of Mitha’s miniature food sculptures with a magnet include a full-fledged lunch thali with as many as 13 dishes designed into 3.5 to 4.5-centimetre sizes. Others are idli-vada with sambar and chutney, dosais, appams and stew, puttu-kadala curry, porotta-kurma and chicken biryani. Mitha chooses to make a miniature when she sees the emotional connection people have for a dish or meal. Sometimes, how colourful a dish looks or its textures are, gets her excited to create it with air-dry clay, her medium of choice. “To make it, I try looking at as many images as possible. I go through its ingredient list and sometimes the whole recipe. It’s rare that I get a mini right at the first attempt. There are elements that I try, give up, revisit months or even years later when my techniques improve. With this medium, paint shades can vary so I must be precise with colours and quantities to accurately replicate a miniature," explains Mitha, who creates about 30-40 pieces a month or as few as 10 if the design is time-consuming.

 

The desire to own food-inspired pieces of art is on the rise and it is something brands have noticed as well. Commissioning art work for marketing collaterals such as advertising, store or restaurant interiors and social media of food and beverage products has been a common practice. However now, much like merchandise for popular movies and characters, commissioned art in the food and beverage spheres is about giving customers collectibles in various forms.

For Hyderabad-based Manam Chocolate, illustrator artist Namrata Kumar was commissioned to create a series of art work depicting the landscapes of the West Godavari district, where the brand’s cacao farms, farmers, the Distinct Origins fermentary and its people are based. These creations reach customers in the form of collectables such as fridge magnets and art prints which are included with the chocolate bars, downloadable wallpapers for phones, puzzle boxes, postcards, invites and a merchandise range of hoodies, T-shirts and tote bags.

For Geist Brewing Co. in Bengaluru, the idea of 'Art of Craft' is embraced in its logo design which has a red brushstroke incorporated into it. “This symbolises our intention to collaborate with artists, ensuring their names and imprints are associated with unique beer can artwork designs," says chief brand officer Geetanjali Chitnis, adding that customers are collecting these artistically designed cans. Sanjana Bhatt, brand and design consultant, created the design for Geist’s takeaway crowler, incorporating motifs representing beer-making components of malt and hops. She has her name displayed on the can's label.

The Museum of Goa has several exhibits showcasing the history of food in Goa—from the mural Goa Nostalgia by C.S Kerkar to the fibreglass Pao by Pradeep Naik to the Black Pomfret photographs by Harshada Kerkar. At restaurants, generic paintings for the décor have been replaced by art work that are inspired and/or rooted in the food or beverage story of the restaurant. For example, in Ulsoor, Bengaluru, the walls of Maverick & Farmer Café, an artisanal coffee brand, have their base painted with espresso. Over this base, coffee-inspired murals have been painted, that have gone from being generic to more rooted in the story of the food’s provenance at a restaurant.

The many vibrant intersections of art and food showcases not just a food culture but also an interesting approach to sensorial experiences. Food provides art a diverse lens for exploration and inspires art way beyond the kitchen pass.

Ruth Dsouza Prabhu is a features journalist based in Bengaluru.

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