Coffee Fantasy | 06
From Bean To Art
Background
Indonesia Rahmah is rooted in northwest Indonesia. The Kecak Dance from Bali, also known as the Fire Dance, inspires the design while the love story of Rama and Shinta is adapted in the creative process. It is a tale of Prince Rama leading the white monkey warriors to rescue Princess Shinta who was kidnapped by the evil king. There is this captivating scene when the king captures Prince Rama and burns him with fire. The lead of monkey warriors, however, remains unhurt and fights his way into the palace and starts another chapter of the war.
Design
In the story, women are weak and helpless figures to be saved by men. The graphics transgress the original narratives and redefine the role of females. The producers of Indonesia Rahmah coffee, who are mostly women, are signified in the drawings. Some of the members working for the coffee cooperative have lost their husbands in the Civil War. In the male-dominant society, this group of women choose to make their own living by serving quality coffee through the past two decades. The cooperation has been awarded the Fair Trade Certificate in 2012 that recognizes their support to trade justice. Part of the income has been donated to support schemes of promoting public health, education and infrastructure. These ladies’ achievement is very much like the bravery spirit of the protagonist, who boldly breaks through the fire. A goddess reborn and dancing in the fire is created to represent this respectful group of women.
背景
Indonesia Rahmah來自印度尼西亞的西南部，靈感源於當地之民族舞——Kecak Fire Dance。故事描述了Rama王子與白猴將軍領導的猴群軍隊聯手擊敗邪惡巨人並拯救了被綁架的Shinta公主。當中極富戲劇性的一幕是巨人的部隊抓獲了白猴將軍，將他困於火圈中並試圖燒死他。白猴將軍非但沒有被燒成灰燼，更毫髮無傷地衝破了火的包圍來到巨人的宮殿並展開兩股勢力之間的戰鬥。
設計
女性在故事中配上了軟弱待救的角色，但這幅插畫選擇改變這一點，借此表彰由女性經營的Indonesia Rahmah咖啡。該合作社中不少成員在2003年內戰其間痛失丈夫，在男性主導的文化下，她們堅持自力更生，20年來產出無數香濃的咖啡。成員更於2012年通過了有機和公平貿易認證，承諾將收益用於創建健康、教育和公共基礎設施計劃上。她們的成就好比勇敢衝破熊熊烈火的白猴，公主也可以浴火重生。
