Sizzling & Singing Chillies

Sizzling & Singing Chillies

The Sea View Condominium, 2008

Sizzling and Singing Chillies is one of Kumari Nahappan’s most playful public sculptures—an artwork that turns everyday familiarity into a burst of humour, heat, and memory. Oversized chillies spill across the space with an energy that feels almost musical, as if they’re rattling, sizzling, and humming with life.

While light-hearted on the surface, the installation carries deeper threads. The chilli is a staple across Southeast Asian kitchens, a symbol of flavour, warmth, and shared culture. By enlarging it to monumental scale, Kumari transforms a common ingredient into a joyful landmark, reconnecting viewers to personal recollections of home, spice, and family rituals.

The work also speaks to the history of its site. Its whimsical presence invites residents and passers-by to pause, smile, and look again at their surroundings. In doing so, Sizzling and Singing Chillies proves that public art can reshape a place—not with grand statements, but with charm, wit, and the simple pleasure of recognition.