The film The Banana Man is an early video work by the American artist Mike Kelley. In it, Kelly slips into the role of a popular early 20th century entertainer who went on tour internationally under the stage name A. Robins. As a quick-change artist and clown, he conjured up numerous items, including hundreds of bananas, from under his wide coat.
In his eponymous film and dressed in yellow clothing and covered in yellow makeup, Kelley embodies the 'Banana Man' as an exaggerated slapstick character. Yet, his silly, often bawdy, jokes reveal him as a tragic figure. In contrast to the solo shows by A. Robins, Mike Kelley often appears with students. Together, they recite texts that invite reflection on the character of the 'Banana Man'.
The Banana Man
- Year 1982
- Edition Unlimited edition
- Material/Technique Single-channel video (color, sound)
- Dimensions Variable
- Length 28'
- Category Media art
- Collection Sammlung Goetz, Medienkunst, München
Mike Kelley
271 pages, 150 ill., hardcover.
German/English
2008, Kunstverlag Ingvild Goetz GmbH, Hamburg
ISBN 978-3-939894-11-7
€ 25,00
