The ArtisanalMilo Dinosaur

By Lush Tan and William Sim

"Join the Milo Dinosaur on a culinary adventure as it follows the scent of familiar cravings to kopitiams, canteens, hawker centres, and the far reaches of our heartlands, where identity and indulgence converge. This journey offers a reflection on how we nourish ourselves not just through familiar tastes, but through personal and sometimes unexpected pairings of flavour."

Made of resin and aluminium,
the sculpture comes packaged in a wooden box and is accompanied
by a metal base for display.

Food as cultural imprint

The sculpture is an affectionate homage to Nestlé's Milo, a beverage that has grown beyond its branding to become a beloved part of our local food heritage. Its evolution speaks to more than changing tastes, it reveals how everyday items can become culturally embedded, shared across generations and settings, and reimagined through the creativity of local appetites.

Each Milo Dinosaur sculpture is handmade, resulting in subtle variations in weight and form. No two are alike. Every walking dinosaur has a different gait, and each piece is individually numbered, with its unique weight reflected in the design. Incorporated into every sculpture is a drawing of a popular local dish, making each Milo Dinosaur a distinctive pairing of tastes, where food and drink come together in sometimes surprising ways.

A cluster of freshly sculpted Milo Dinosaurs, awaiting their coat of acrylic pigment.