For Biko marketing team, the annual tradition of shopping for New Year’s event decorations has always felt like a mini field trip. Who knew that at the end of 2024, their trip to Glodok became a eureka moment for Debora Yuza (Deby), a key member of our marketing team for more than nine years, to pick up her brushes again, eventually leading to her first solo exhibition? Girl, we see you!
It’s quite a funny story. That field trip ended with the whole squad wandering into local food stalls for lunch. That’s when Deb found herself staring at the leftover plates on the table—greasy, half-finished, messy. She wondered: what stories do these plates hold? Were the people full, content, or regretful? Would they come back for more? When the creative juices flow, they flow. She even snapped some pictures to bring home, thinking: I should start illustrating again.
Following that moment, Deb revived her long-dormant Instagram account, @pototochips, to share her illustrations. She began reposting them on her stories, where one response stood out. It came from Tari, a friend she met at Duck Down Bar events, who also happened to be the co-founder of spaCCCe. Tari’s casual reply “pameran dong di tempat gue!” opened the door to Deb’s first solo exhibition. She brought the offer straight to Aninda Pardede, Biko’s marketing head, who encouraged her without hesitation: “take it.”
She traced that field trip moment back to the theme of her exhibition: Habis//Sisa. Deb began collecting objects that spoke to her and translating them into illustrations. She eventually completed 16 pieces for display, each carrying its own story. One painting shows an empty plate with Acta Brasserie’s emboss: an homage to both the outlet and its chef.
As Acta’s dedicated marketing lead for quite some time, Deb has worked closely with Chef Rui Yamagishi, whom she regards as someone unafraid to try new things and always pushing beyond his comfort zone. She felt that spirit mirrored her own as she chose acrylic over her usual gouache and watercolor for this exhibition, exploring larger canvases and unconventional mediums. The painting eventually went to a dear friend, who also happens to be a loyal Acta Brasserie guest (Deb used to sent her complimentary dessert every time she visited). We love a full-circle moment like this.
“I’m really grateful for my colleagues at Biko. In many ways, they’re the ones who made all this possible: Aninda (head of marketing) who encouraged me to take this leap of faith, Stef (editor-in-chief) who wrote the curatorial text displayed at the entrance, Damar (PR) and Jupe (photographer) who came to capture proper pictures of the exhibition, and Adit Kadi (Biko's resident DJ) who played on the opening day.” Deb shared.
The two-week exhibition closed with a liwetan, made possible with the help of Deb’s friends who cooked. It carried a special meaning, as one of Deby’s largest works was a liwet piece, which has since been sold to a collector in the Netherlands. The activation itself was intimate and invitation-only, with Sabilulungan playing softly in the background and the sound of her closest circle in conversation. As the meal ended, they lingered to see what remained, taking photos of their plates that seemed to bring Deby’s paintings to life. Among the guests, mostly friends from all stages of school, were also her colleagues, Aninda and Stef.
“Biko is more than just a workplace. It has become a bridge that connects me with so many good opportunities, including this one. The people I’ve crossed paths at with at work, are more than just colleagues. They’ve reminded me of the importance of being a whole person, with interests, passions, and dreams beyond the four walls of work. I feel blessed to be given the space to pursue them, not in secret, not on stolen hours, but out in the open, with my colleagues being the first to cheer me on.”
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12 out of 16 of Deby’s artworks for Habis//Sisa have sold out. For more information about the remaining collection, please click here.
