AnnaBanana
Biography
Anna Banana (born Anne Lee Long; 1940, Victoria, British Columbia – 2024) was an influential Canadian artist recognized for her innovative work in performance art, mail art, and independent publishing. Her artistic identity frequently incorporated humorous and playful themes, particularly using the banana as a recurring symbol of creativity and irreverence. After completing her teaching certification at the University of British Columbia, she taught at the experimental New School in Vancouver, where in 1968 students affectionately dubbed her "Anna Banana." Embracing this persona fully, she relocated to Big Sur, California, in 1970 and officially adopted "Anna Banana" as her legal name in 1985. In 1971, Banana humorously declared herself the "Town Fool" of Victoria, organizing public events and interactive performances designed to encourage community participation in art-making. Her activities led to the establishment of the "Banana Rag," a newsletter that helped her connect to the global mail art community. She became an active participant, exchanging artistamps—small artworks resembling postage stamps—and various mail art pieces with artists worldwide. Banana significantly contributed to independent art publishing through the founding of Vile magazine in 1974. This publication documented and promoted the mail art movement, featuring experimental works, poetry, visual art, and satirical content, and ran through seven editions until 1981. Throughout her career, Anna Banana’s performances and artworks were exhibited extensively across Canada, the United States, and Europe. Her playful events, such as the "Banana Olympics," featured whimsical competitions that emphasized interaction, humor, and collective creativity. Anna Banana’s artistic legacy endures through her groundbreaking contributions to performance and mail art, inspiring subsequent generations of artists to challenge traditional art forms with humor, community engagement, and creative expression.
