Homemaker Carved Portraits Of National Leaders A Feast For The Eyes

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 8 (Bernama) -- Carving someone's face on a watermelon in just 30 minutes is not an easy task, especially when the face is that of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

This special task was flawlessly executed by full-time homemaker Iswati Ishak, 52, from Jenjarom, Banting, Selangor, who also carved the faces of the two Deputy Prime Ministers, Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof.

She also carved the face of Minister of Agriculture and Food Security (KPKM), Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu, his deputy, Datuk Chan Foong Hin, his secretary-general, Datuk Lukman Hakim Ali, and a carving of the #SatuTahunBersamaKerajaanMADANI (One Year with the MADANI Government) symbol.

The mother of six shared with Bernama that she was asked to create these carvings by the KPKM yesterday and completed them within 24 hours with the help of a friend, Muhammad Taufiq Mohd Halim, 33.

"Over a decade of involvement in carving has made me skilled in choosing the right size and colour of the fruit to produce more intricate and precise carved art resembling the actual portraits of individuals," she said.

Iswati said that the six fruit carvings served as decorative elements at the KPKM booth and received praise from visitors.

She added that besides official events, she is also actively taking orders for vegetable and fruit carvings for birthdays, weddings, and engagements, to generate income.

Meanwhile, Muhammad Taufiq said that the size and quality of the watermelon are crucial elements in creating a lifelike portrait.

"A large watermelon of grade C or D with vibrant red and beautiful flesh is preferred. The slightly darker skin of the watermelon is chosen to highlight the illustration of the portrait," he said.

As a freelance art instructor, he is actively conducting carving classes for fruits and vegetables for communities across the country to spark interest among the younger generation as the successors of this art form and expressed hope that the community will appreciate the results of artistic work so that these carving works can compete at international level and be on par with countries like Vietnam and Thailand.

-- BERNAMA