Project Statement: Bananas, 2023 single-channel video 2:31
The Naturalization Oath of Allegiance to the United States of America is a legal requirement for immigrants pursuing U.S.citizenship. In this video, a banana bearing the handwritten Oath of Allegiance takes center stage as a symbol of identity and linguistic exploration. The term 'bananas' is often used colloquially to describe situations that are silly, peculiar, maddening, or nonsensical. This duality, both as a fruit. and as slang in everyday language, serves as the catalyst for investigating language, borders, and the condition of foreignness. As viewers follow the written oath on a rotating banana while simultaneously hearing the spoken words, the performer remains anonymous. Their foreign accent becomes an auditory manifestation of the negotiation of duality within the speaking body. The new shapes of the English words produced by the performer's mouth represent resistance to the dominant language. The accent preserves memories of their native tongue and prevents the speaking body from being absorbed by the English language as a whole. Through this work, I invite viewers to engage in an examination of the multifaceted relationship between language and identity, prompting a deeper exploration of the meaning of naturalization in the context of immigration and multiculturalism.
The Naturalization Oath of Allegiance to the United States of America is a legal requirement for immigrants pursuing U.S.citizenship. In this video, a banana bearing the handwritten Oath of Allegiance takes center stage as a symbol of identity and linguistic exploration. The term 'bananas' is often used colloquially to describe situations that are silly, peculiar, maddening, or nonsensical. This duality, both as a fruit. and as slang in everyday language, serves as the catalyst for investigating language, borders, and the condition of foreignness. As viewers follow the written oath on a rotating banana while simultaneously hearing the spoken words, the performer remains anonymous. Their foreign accent becomes an auditory manifestation of the negotiation of duality within the speaking body. The new shapes of the English words produced by the performer's mouth represent resistance to the dominant language. The accent preserves memories of their native tongue and prevents the speaking body from being absorbed by the English language as a whole. Through this work, I invite viewers to engage in an examination of the multifaceted relationship between language and identity, prompting a deeper exploration of the meaning of naturalization in the context of immigration and multiculturalism.
Artist Statement: Fiona Yun-Jui Chang 張昀叡 was raised in a Hakka family in Taiwan, an island in the northeastern Pacific Ocean with many names and an unsettled history. Fiona works in photography, text, installation and art making workshops to examine human relations. Inspired by cross-cultural connections, she uses art as a vehicle to foster a collective (un)learning community. She lives in Los Angeles and often collaborates with cultural workers from Taiwan, the U.S. and Europe.
