Sira Pisang by Roslisham Ismail (Ise)

Malaysian artist Roslisham Ismail (Ise) is interested in how people live and relate to each other, often across cultures. Everyday experiences such as eating, conversing and travelling inspire his participatory events, interactive installations, drawings, books and animations.

Since 2011, Ise has researched the cuisine of his home state of Kelantan, which traces its roots to the ancient Langkasuka kingdom that once included southern Thailand and northern Malaysia. Collecting recipes from people he meets across the region, Ise created a cookbook and series of drawings that share the delights of Kelantanese food with the world.

This mural depicts how to make “sira pisang” (glazed banana), Ise’s favourite childhood dish. It reflects Ise’s open approach to art, drawing on popular forms such as comics and graffiti to create a work that audiences can view from above, walk through, or take home to cook for themselves.