Bukayo Saka features in sushi art – EALING.NEWS – The Voice of Ealing 7 cities

Ealing-born soccer star Bukayo Saka is among a number of celebrities including Elton John, Ed Sheeran and Lorraine Kelly who have been transformed into grapefruit-sized portraits using sushi ingredients to celebrate International Sushi Day (18 June 2024).

A special exhibition by Japanese food brand Yutaka to showcase only the works on display took place on Sunday (16 June 2024) at Casildart Art Gallery in Paddington.

Food artist Michelle Wibowo spent 120 hours making the portraits using Japanese sushi ingredients, including sushi rice, smoked salmon and pickled ginger.

For Mr Saka, who plays for Arsenal and England, his portrait took 15 hours and was made using tobiko roe, sesame and nori on sushi rice seasoned with sake.

Ms Wibowo said: “I’m used to creating sculptures from unconventional materials, but working with sushi ingredients was a whole different kettle of fish. It was really fascinating to see how many ingredients there are to make sushi and how they can be used to create intricate details for the face and hair.”

Ms Wibowo added: “I hope people find the portraits as hilarious as I do and maybe even be inspired to try mixing things up in the kitchen themselves. Remember, all art is subjective.”

Ken Furukawa, CEO of Tazaki Foods, owners of the Yutaka brand, commented: “We wanted to create an exhibition that celebrates the diversity and creativity of Japanese cuisine and inspires you to be adventurous at home in the kitchen.”

Mr Furukawa added: “Sushi has become somewhat of a national dish here in the UK, so it felt right to honor this special relationship by recreating some of Britain’s most iconic faces from Yutaka’s ingredients to make of sushi”.