Published to accompany the 2015 retrospective exhibition at the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria, Anna Banana: 45 Years of Fooling Around with A. Banana examines Anna Banana’s life and work.
The full-colour catalogue includes photographs, documentation of VILE magazine, newsletters, artistamp stamp sheets, and ephemera alongside essays by Michelle Jacques, Craig Saper, Anne Thurmann-Jajes, Edward M. Gomez and Banana herself.
Descriptions of projects and performances illustrate and situate Banana’s experimental, participatory, fun and funny and oeuvre and highlight its important role in engaging new audiences and bridging the historic anti-art practices of Dada and Fluxus and today’s contemporary practices.
About Anna Banana
Born in Victoria, BC in 1940, Anna Banana has lived and worked in Victoria, Vancouver, Big Sur, Sooke, San Francisco and currently, Roberts Creek, BC.
Since 1971, her mail-art practice has generated a wide range of work, including international performance tours (Futurist Sound, Proof Positive Germany is Going Bananas, Banana Communion, But, is it Art?) and large, interactive public events (the Banana Olympics; ‘75 in San Francisco, ‘80 in Surrey, BC.).
Banana has consistently documented artist networks and mail-art activities, publishing newsletters Banana Rag ’71-‘16, Artistamp News ‘91-96, VILE Magazine ’74-‘82, and International Art Post (full color stamps by artists) from 1988-2014.
She is currently working toward a book; Verbal & Visual NETWORK PORTRAITS; and a stamp edition documenting long-term mail-artists.