FOOD ART AND WORLD JOLLOF RICE DAY!

One of my favourite channels on cable television - DSTV is the Food Network channel. I usually get teased endlessly about putting into practical use what I have learnt. You especially need to see my concentration and admiration when short segments are shown of the food artist Nathan Wyburn making portraits of Food Network’s celebrity chefs such as Siba, Bobby Flay and a host of others using everyday cooking ingredients.

So naturally, my excitement went through the roof when I came across the food art created by the multi-talented Nigerian blogger and creator of the Hijarbie (the hijab-wearing and fully clothed Barbie doll which was an Instagram sensation), Hanefaah Adam.

Hanefaah’s art pieces were submitted for the TechMeetsArtNG, organised by Samsung Nigeria in conjunction with Rele Gallery, Lagos earlier in the year. Her themes were as diverse as the food utilized in creating the works of art. One of Haneefah’s works was the portrait of long necked headgear wearing African lady that consisted of a rich mix of vegetable leaves, ground and whole ‘ogbono’ seeds, shaki(cow tripel), crayfish and slices of okro, onions and pepper.

In another piece, she utilized ground dry pepper and its seeds in the representation of Afrobeat legend, Fela Anikulakpo Kuti

 

Then there was her visual ode to Nigeria’s perennial favourite and thirst quenching Zobo drink. This piece depicted the back of a female dancer with her waist and bust area swathed in zobo leaves of course! The remaining exposed parts of the body were outlined with droplets of the drink.

 

She even had something for the self professed lover of jollof rice and fried ripe plantain, John Gboyega of the Star Wars: The Force Awakens fame. And you as figured out, jollof rice and fried plantain was utilized. The piece was aptly named Jollof Wars.  

 

 

Haneefah also recently created food art to mark the popular Nigerian brand of seasoning cubes, Maggi at 50.

 

 

Speaking of Jollof wars, Happy World Jollof Rice Day! Yes, there is such a day and it’s today!   West Africans most especially Nigerians are super proud of this dish. Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver cannot forget in a hurry how he was taken through the cleaners when he tried to add his twist to our traditional jollof rice recipe. 

For me, the ‘party’ jollof rice is in a class all by itself. Oh! What happy memories that version conjures!!  Bon appetit my jollof family!

 Photocredits: www.muslimahanie.com