It is a strange combo of a metal tepak sireh (betel leaf container) paraphernalia including the nut cutter, buah pinang and a comb of bananas on a tacky tablecloth on an odd-shaped antique-looking desk. Just a random display for a still-life exercise, where meanings could be miscued. Obviously, the artist Latif Maulan could not resist a banana leaving the skin together with the others plucked from the backyard of the studio. In 2006, Latif, a self-taught artist, had honed some fine skills in figuratives, still-life and Nature. The same year, he held his first solo, Parallel Universe, at the Art Case Galleries, Kuala Lumpur. Bananas are in abundance in tropical climes. The tepak sireh is an anachronism of cultural heritage, related mainly to the Malays. Apart from the now abhorred practices of betel leaf chewing, the tepak sireh is still used in Malay society as a perfunctory ritual in proposing, engagement and marriage, and sometimes even royal ceremonies, and is / was taken as a symbol of friendship. Apart from the betel leaf, there are the areca nut, lime paste, gambier and shredded tobacco. Self-taught Latif Maulan made headlines when he won the Redbull EhWauBulan showcase in 2016 though he has been known for his topsy-turvy figure under water. He was also a finalist in the prestigious MEAA competition in 2009. Stints in New York (2000), Australia (2001) and Britain (2002, 2013) including a solo at the Barbican Gallery in Plymouth enhance his reputation. He made a great debut in the Henry Butcher art auction when a painting (marbles) sold for a premium of RM14,300 on April 21, 2015.