In Awang Damit Ahmad’s 'opaquely’ encrusted Essence Of Culture (E.O.C.) (Intipati Budaya) palette of tawny brown and spring green, Sea Harvest combines the resources of land and water. Centipedes known as pun-pun are a source of baits for fishing either in the river or on the remote beach front of Kuala Penyu in Sabah. They can be found in damp areas like muddy estuaries but can turn pesky, though they feed on insects and roaches. As some centipedes are venomous, they are probably killed before being strung onto the hook, but is the caught fish which devour the centipede which has venom, safe? Should be, what with its preys like shrews, toads, badgers and birds, even chickens, none the worst from eating them. The seminal E.O.C., which spanned 1985 to 1995, is Awang Damit’s tome of the eternal struggle of Man and Nature, for nourishment and survival. Awang Damit Ahmad is a phenomenon, a late starter in art who ascended to prominence with his earthy E.O.C. series. From farmer / fisherman to a Telekom technician, he studied Art at a relatively late age of 27, and then became an artist and art academician, at the Mara Institute of Technology. He followed up with his Masters at the Catholic University in Washington, and taught at his alma mater before retiring as Associate Professor at ITM in May 2011. His accolades included the prestigious Major Award in Salon Malaysia III, the Minor Award in Bakat Muda Sezaman, 2nd Prize in the Malaysian Bank Association art competition, and the Gold Award in the Ecorea Jeonbuk Biennale and the Olympic Fine Art in London, both in 2012. His first major overseas exhibition was in the Contemporary Paintings of Malaysia exhibition at the Asia-Pacific Museum in Pasadena in 1988. His works were on display at the Art Seasons booth (in collaboration with Henry Butcher Art Auctioneers) in the prestigious Art SG 2026, and received good feedback from visitors. In the July 2022 Henry Butcher Art Auction, Awang Damit’s painting from the E.O.C. series realised RM 218,400.