The banana art and our pivotal time

A banana duck taped on the wall was sold for USD 6.2 million as an artwork, then it was eaten (without the duck tape).

People were baffled. It defied all our assumptions about art. I think it perfectly reflected our current time.

This banana art reminded me (and many others) of another artwork “Fountain”, which was basically a white urinal and was created by a French artist Henri-Robert-Marcel Duchamp. The time for this “artwork” to appear - 1917 - was very telling. 

In 1917, the world was engulfed in the First World War. People witnessed how destructive modern technology can be. Hardship was widespread. Immense social and economic strains were brought upon families and communities.

In 1917, the Russian revolution succeeded, and had a profound impact globally. Surging socialist movements caused fear in Western countries. There was a rise in labor movements and strikes as workers demanded better conditions and wages in response to the economic pressures.

The trauma of the war influenced art and literature, leading to movements like Dadaism and later, the Lost Generation of writers who expressed disillusionment with traditional values.

Also, with many men at the front, women took on roles traditionally held by men, working in factories and other industries, which began to shift societal views on gender roles.

Overall, 1917 was a year of significance. Many things took a turn and never went back. And it was in that year, the “artwork” Fountain showed up.

Is 2024 in anyway as pivotal as 1917? 

Perhaps so.

First of all, there are two wars going on in 2014. Nobody knows when things will wrap up. So many people had wrong predictions for years. And they kept shifting their stances. We don’t even know what “genocide” is anymore. It used to be simple for average folks, such as me, that it is an act committed with the intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial, or religious group. But today we’re so confused.

Besides these two wars, many other things have happened. People around the world are increasingly confused.

Let’s take a look at the following two examples: 

•  Protecting women’s rights

Gender equality used to be simple, giving equal rights to men and women. But today, we’re so confused. Even the definition of “women” becomes an issue. 

One particular case is the inclusion of trans women in women's sports, for example the women’s boxing in this year’s Olympic Games in Paris. 

• Bitcoin as a currency

Currency used to be simple. But with Bitcoin surpassing USD100,000, we’re not so sure anymore. 

While many consider it an alternative to centralised money system, more people treat it as a commodity and bet on its value to continue to rise, simple because the total number of Bitcoin is capped.  

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That’s just a few things coming to my mind. There are many out there.

The conclusion is that, similar to 1917, our current social atmosphere is marked by significant transformation. We have been shaken to our core and many of us don’t know what to believe.

Looking from this angle, the banana art perfectly captured the spirit of our society.