Fast Food 1999

Nyoman Masriadi made this painting, titled ‘Fast Food’, with what looks like oil or acrylic. I find myself drawn to the way Masriadi fearlessly mixes different approaches to mark-making. He uses a sort of graphic figuration, but then also some really thick, almost gloopy paint, that he moves around the canvas in a way that feels so physical. I’m looking at the contrast between the deep blue and red background. It’s like he wants to disrupt any sense of perfect balance. And then there’s that pig head, sitting so innocently on its plate, as the chef gets ready to slice into the ham with a kind of cold detachment. It makes you question the whole idea of consumption. It’s almost like he’s referencing Picasso, but in a way that’s totally his own. It’s like a conversation across time. Ultimately, though, it’s about embracing the discomfort of not knowing, of letting the painting be a question mark rather than a definitive statement.