Time Flies Like An Arrow
Fruit Flies Like A Banana
Curated by Jennifer Teo, with artworks by Barbarianflower, In(ter)dependent Studies, Joey.spl, Lee Ju-Lyn, Jessie Lim, Marla Bendini, Mei, Lynx Ng, Oanh with Art, Ong Xiao Yun, and Simbaro.
At first glance, Time Flies Like An Arrow / Fruit Flies Like A Banana seems like a straight-forward pairing of time and fruit, arrow and banana. On closer examination, one realises that the first impression is deceptive - the statement is not as simple as it seems. In fact, it is an illusion. Two very different phenomenon are described using the same two words (“flies” and “like”), but they are used in two different ways. “Flies” in the first phrase belongs to “Time”, and “like” describes how time moves swiftly in a certain direction, akin to an arrow; while the second phrase states that the insects fruit flies enjoy bananas.
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However, if one does not take a second look at the statement, it would still sort of make sense, in an obliquely humourous way. The banana is after all somewhat of a wierd shape, and one can imagine it flying through the air, and laughing with joy!
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In any case, one could disagree with the phrase “time flies like an arrow”. Time doesn’t always fly, particularly when one is bored or doing something one doesn’t quite enjoy doing, time seems to crawl. One could also think that time doesn’t just go in one direction, the way an arrow does. Time has a way of going forward into the future as well as backwards into the past. In fact, both Buddhism and science agree that time doesn’t really exist, and it is only a concept, a perception or an illusion.
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No matter how you read it, the two phrases together still produces an ambiguous statement. One cannot be sure what it is trying to say. It could mean many things (or nothing).
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This selection of artworks featuring the banana brings together these four “prompts”: perception/illusion, humour/joy, Buddhism/Science and ambiguity. Depending on the viewer, each of these artworks would possess these qualities to different degrees. Viewer A might see This by Lee Ju-Lyn as being the most about perception/illusion, Burnt Banana Split Moments 2 by Joey.spl as being the most humorous, Untitled by Ong Xiao Yun as being most about time, and Nothing Has Any Meaning Into Rows of Bananas by Marla Bendini as being the most ambiguous. Viewer B might see Bananas Inside Out: Copper by Oanh with Art as being the most about perception/illusion, Gin Jio by Jessie Lim as being the most humorous, The Mindful Banana by Lynx Ng as being most about time, and Ruminator by Mei as being the most ambiguous. Viewer C might see Rude Banana by Barbarian Flower as being the most about perception/illusion, Banana Spiritline by Isaac Benjamin as being the most humorous, Bananas Inside Out: Copper as being most about time, and Art Will Prevail by In(ter)dependent Studies as being the most ambiguous. In this case, there aren’t really wrong answers, everyone is right in their own way.
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Whether it is a search for true meaning or just splitting hairs (splitting bananas, in this case), Time Flies Like An Arrow / Fruit Flies Like A Banana highlights that reading is always selective, and there is always meaning and joy, even if it’s all just an illusion!
Title: This (2020) / Artist: Lee Ju-Lyn / Medium: Chinese ink, Gel ink, Digital image / Artist Statement: This work is about hybridity and convergences of the Eastern and Western, and forms.
Title: Untitled (2020) / Artist: Ong Xiao Yun / Medium: Mixed Medium Digital / Artist Statement: I had been inspired by Shelley sacks invisible lives for some time. This work is about the subtlety, repetitive transience in the nature of labour existing in life cycles. Part of a series that examines labour and life cycles.
Title: Ruminator (2020) / Artist: Mei / Size: Approximately 6 inches in length / Medium: Drawing Oxidation on Organic Matter / Artist Statement: Repeated patterns hand poked on three bananas over a span of 7 hours.
Title: Rude Banana / Artist: Barbarian Flower / Medium: Digital painting / Artist Statement: Everyone perceives rudeness differently. For me, I view it through bananas. The rude words, people, and actions are depicted by the bananas. This illustration shows how my mind - the sword, is killing off the rudeness. In reality, I would never harm the source of rudeness but only confront it through my mind.
Title: NOTHING HAS ANY MEANING INTO ROWS OF BANANAS (2019) / Artist: Marla Bendini / Medium: waterbased marker, highlighter and white glue on paper / Artist Statement: A page off my daily self-care art journal. In this page, I wrote NOTHING HAS ANY MEANING in black waterbased markers and filled in the page with yellow marker and highlighter. I put a thick layer of white glue on the paper which separates and blends the colours which I tend paint out strokes of bananas in this white glue and marker ink emulsion.
Title: Bananas Inside Out: Copper / Artist: Oanh with Art / Medium: Digital Art / Artist Statement: A macro viewpoint from the inside out or outside in, each artwork is derived and inspired by the genetic composition of the banana. (Part of a series)
Title: Burnt Banana Split Moments 2 (2020) / Artist: Joey.spl / Medium: GIF / Artist Statement: To all whose FOMO took over their supposed-to-be, ephiphanic metamorphosis journey to the better self during the stay home period. #burntbananasplitmoment #slippedup #BBSM We all try to be better, of find ways to be a better version of our yesterday’s selves. In the midst of that – the anxiety to accomplished all self-help/development course that ever exist, as if that would reveal the Northern Star of perfect being, we forget that there is a genuine, already beautiful soul in that body, that have qualities that are ready to be love and expanded upon. Just like a good ol’ banana splits, don’t try to over novelise it. And henceforth, birth the Burnt Banana Split Tales – a neglected attempt to re-invent a familiar desert. But hey, if we decide to reinvent the wheel, be as committed as David Strickler was to his desert! (Part of a series)
Title: The Mindful Banana / Artist: Lynx Ng / Medium: Sound and Image / Artist Statement: Lynx is endlessly curious about life and all it might entail. He's constantly learning, questioning, experimenting. The Mindful Banana is a juxtaposition of his endeavours in mindfulness, absurdism, and uncouth calligraphy. He accepts no responsibility for taking four minutes and thirty three seconds of your life.
Title: Gin Jio / Artist: Jessie Lim / Medium: Pastels on Ingres / Artist Statement: I think that a literal drawing of a banana-related item or by itself is very boring but after staring and thinking of it for a very long time....how about the close-up of the flesh? Sometimes, it can be wrongly interpreted into other fruits but what's the right and wrong of that? It's all one!
Title: www.banana_spiritline.com (2020) / Artist: Simbaro / Medium: Digital artwork / Artist Statement: This is an illustration born from curiosity over the role of the Banana fruit in Chinese occult traditions – or it might be more accurate to say, the lack thereof due to its strong association with ghosts. It is a fruit that Calls, Attracts, and is a Beacon. This illustration is a whatif scenario on how this strong association might be used in ritual construction, especially regarding calling and commanding the “5 Ghosts” in daoism. The Banana within this context is very interesting as a modern day character. I like to think of it as an “internet” Router giving access, through calling, attracting, and initiating handshakes with the grater occult and spiritual “internet”.
Title: Art Will Prevail / Artist: In(ter)dependent Studies (Andrew Yuen, Joey Soh, Ju-Lyn) / Medium: Digital image / Artist Statement: This work culminated from an exchange within the In(ter)dependent Studies group reacting to the open call.
*Banner image from Banana Boomerang - Game Showcase.
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