SOTO AYAM

“soto ayam”

Plastik Kembali, 2025
Limited Print Series / 420 mm x 594 mm
Generative AI on Paper
Contact Nyaman Gallery to Purchase

About the Artwork

A pastiche of Andy Warhol’s “Campbell’s Soup Cans” with a focus on Indonesian culture, “Soto Ayam” explores the concepts of late-stage capitalism and emerging technology amidst developing nations.

An AI-generated image conceptualized by Lombok-based Plastik Kembali, the red and white of the soup label alludes to the Indonesian flag, with a subtle reference to the national emblem at its center. The soup flavor, “Soto Ayam” (“Chicken Soup” in English), is known as one of the country’s most popular heritage dishes. The brand name, “Coba Coba,” embodies Plastik Kembali’s creative philosophy, emphasizing creativity as the catalyst for transformative global change (“coba” translates to “to try” in English).

During the artwork creation, PK initially conceptualized the image as a sketch and then transformed it into a Generative AI image using Canva, an Australian-based design software recognized for its climate objectives and commitment to inclusion. While Canva actively prioritizes sustainability and community initiatives – for example, the company achieved carbon neutrality in 2021 and is certified under the Australian Government's Climate Active program; Canva also actively collaborates with Indigenous Artists and communities – broader AI technology, particularly ChatGPT, still requires substantial improvements in environmental and ethical considerations, especially to serve developing nations such as Indonesia.

Exploring the old and the new, “Soto Ayam” acts as a catalyst for discussion on topics including modern commodification of heritage, the disproportionate environmental impact of technology and the effects of neocolonialism among developing nations in the Global South.

Conversation guide inspired by “Soto Ayam”:

ACCESS:

Artificial Intelligence holds the promise to reshape the future of developing countries, bringing opportunities that could transform economies and public services. While this could be life changing for healthcare and education access in remote areas, are some problems that might arise?

CONSUMPTION VS. CREATION:

Many developing countries lack the digital infrastructure essential for deploying and operating AI effectively. This creates an "AI divide" where certain communities are unable to participate fully in the AI revolution, thus becoming only consumers of AI rather than developers and innovators in their own right. What challenges exist in this scenario for developing nations?

REGULATIONS, BIAS + PRIVACY:

The rapid pace of AI integration outstrips the capacity of many nations to establish adequate legal and regulatory frameworks to control its use and mitigate risks. This pace can also lead to algorithmic bias that can perpetuate or even amplify existing societal prejudices, or can lend to privacy issues. How might countries like Indonesia remedy this?

COMMODIFICATION:

In today’s connected age, almost all aspects of life – from tangible goods to intangible experiences – are increasingly turned into commodities for consumption via the web, AI and social platforms. What does this mean for traditional arts and crafts of developing nations? Does AI pose an even bigger threat to indigenous works of folk art?

WATER USAGE:

The media has reported that AI — especially ChatGPT — needs considerable amounts of water to run its data center and power needs with an industry estimate ranging from .5 to 5 liters used for 1-20 prompts answered by the system. Conversely, however, the cattle industry requires approximately 15,000 liters of water to produce a single kilogram of beef (from the water used to grow the animal's feed to the water the animal drinks to water used in processing). With this data, we realize animal agriculture requires a significantly larger amount of water to continue its production, however, it’s not often discussed in mainstream media. Why do you think this is?

CARBON FOOTPRINT:

To continue exploring comparisons, we also find that training and running large AI models require massive amounts of electricity, with the associated power plants often relying on fossil fuels, leading to substantial carbon emissions. Recent estimates report 2-4 grams of CO2 emissions are produced by a single ChatGPT prompt. Reports also note, however, that for every minute scrolling on other popular social media apps, users are generating CO2e (Carbon Dioxide Equivalent) in similar numbers. For example, every minute spent scrolling TikTok generates 2.921 grams of CO2e, a minute on YouTube emits 2.923 grams and Instagram chimes in at 2.912 grams. Differences in these platforms however vary because ChatGPT relies on continuous energy to run its data centers while social media platforms emissions technically fluctuate based on user interaction (i.e. the more people streaming video or scrolling content equates to higher carbon footprint). Is it a consumer responsibility to choose to use a social media platform or not? Or do software companies bear the responsibility to stop creating digital products that knowingly create environmental harm?

NEOCOLONIALISM + CLIMATE CHANGE:

Because of neocolonial practices by powerful nations in the Global North – including unfair trade, resource extraction, labor exploitation and environmental burden-shifting – developing countries in the Global South are often left with their resources depleted, economies underdeveloped, environmental damage and vulnerable populations susceptible to harm caused by climate change. Is AI showing itself to be another variant of neocolonialism? Why or why not?

View or Purchase this Artwork

Learn more about this piece at @nyamangallery in Seminyak, Bali; open daily from 9 a.m. - 9 p.m. or contact Nyaman Gallery at +62 813 4031 9860 for more information.