Bananas: A (Not So Sweet) Global History
Fri Mar 3, 4pm-6pm
Light Refreshments will be provided
Speakers: Muck Artist in Residence: Jac Alva & Dr. Philippe Zacaïr, Associate Professor, California State University, Fullerton
In celebrating the human spirit through the arts, The Muckenthaler Cultural Center provides a platform for artists and scholars to share how their work directly impacts the local community. In a series of seminars, our 2023 Artist In Residence, Jac Alva, will be leading the conversation about the role of food in art. In this presentation, Jac Alva and California State University Fullerton Associate Professor Philippe Zacaïr will focus on one nutritional staple prevalent in the art world, the banana. Bananas are a fruit favorite consumed by millions every day in the U.S. and throughout the world. Originating in South-east Asia, bananas have been driving world history in often untold and yet forgotten ways, including dramatic environmental transformations, U.S. economic hegemony as well as political and military interventions in Latin America. This presentation aims at providing context and tools to comprehend the place of bananas in the work of contemporary artists. Join us as we explore the global history and intertwined tales of this extraordinary fruit through an artistic lens.
