BANANA (2017)

BANANA (n., slang)
1: A person of Asian descent considered to yellow on the outside, but white on the inside. Often used as a derogatory term.

BANANA is a personal meditation rooted in the artist's childhood experiences of being bullied for his “Asian” facial features and his resulting desire for whiteness. In what ways do we internalize these experiences and to what lengths will we go in seeking validation of our beauty? What is the grief and pain that comes with trying to be seen by structures that were created to ‘other’ us?

Consisting of two parts, the first act is a durational performance where the viewer looks on as the artist consumes banana after banana past the point of physical sickness, while fixated on his reflection. The second act is a dance performance drawing the viewer into his childhood experiences and how they still live in his body today.

Presentations:
Urban x Indigenous IV - SOMArts Cultural Center, 2017
APAture Festival - Asian Art Museum, 2016
Convent Arts Collective, 2016