Banana Wall, 10,000 bananas and glue – Now, when I first saw this image it didn’t do much for me, though I did enjoy a couple photos of other pieces. What made me feature this piece was the discussion surrounding that has begun to swell around it on the internet. Some of the discussions include is it or is it not art, what a waste of food that could have fed the hungry, etc. The one that interests me most is the discussions fueled by the anger of the wasted of food. I guess it just shows how socially aware everyone is becoming and that to me is exciting. Anyway, what do you think?
artist & website: Stefan Sagmeister – Link to the show
bah, I don’t see what all the fuss is about. If he took the cash required to purchase the bananas and burned it as performance art it would technically be the same thing. People would have similar discussions, but fewer would have mentioned food. The fact that these are bananas is the only reason that folks are fussing. The price of these bananas would be in the neighborhood of $2,500. I bet some of the folks that complained about this have TVs that cost this much or more (which I do not own). So until these folks are willing to make some personal sacrifices, which some may have, they need to keep their mouth shut.
Just because someone can afford to do something doesn’t mean they should (like buy a Hummer!). Hopefully, art says something about the world we live in (which is the world occupied by the artist as well), and one of the things this piece does say is “what a waste of food” (especially if the artist is an American–yet another reason for the rest of the world to hate us!). But it’s also pretty cool, the recurring undulating shapes–and I would like to see it as it ages, as it turns black with each day that passes (although I would NOT want to take this piece down! 10,000 mushy bananas! Yuck! What artists do for art!).
–Oh, and for JT, we support two African children, the local food bank and soup kitchen, the Southern Poverty Law Center, and we don’t even get TV reception…
I guess he could have cast those bananas from resin, but that would eliminate the effect as the ripen and I am sure the smell was wonderful. Taking them down as kronos mentioned would not be fun and I wonder if they got fruit flies in the gallery.
Are you all missing the point?! This is like seeing a live show, you want to see the spectacle and point out the flaws if the band fucks up. The meaning would not been viewed by so many people if the artist wrote the message on twenty five hundred bucks and burned it. I’m not proud to say but, in a years time I have wasted more than $2500 at the bar alone and the equivalent of 10,000 bananas. During that year I never got my message across to anybody save for empty pockets, bad hangovers, and full trash cans. I admire what this artist did, it got us all talking, by the way it says; “Self-confidence Produces Fine Results.” I give time and money to the less fortunate people in my community but I would never say who or what, I want to save them the embarrassment of receiving my charity. Also, I watch TV it brings; new people and places, thought provoking ideas, and sometimes unrealistic views into my home, boy that sounds like art!