That’s Bananas
In volume six of "Arrangements," we peel back the layers on the quirky and captivating banana plant.
In this sixth volume of "Arrangements," we’re diving into the world of banana plants, a species that threads through cultures and cuisines across the globe. Native to jungles in India, China and Southeast Asia, the banana plant is not a tree but the world’s largest herb, with its sturdy pseudostems reaching skyward, crowned by broad, lush leaves. Maroon-wrapped blossoms unfurl to reveal delicate, creamy flowers, eventually giving way to the familiar fruit.
More than a thousand kinds of bananas can be found worldwide. There are pink fuzzy bananas, striped bananas with orange pulp, and aquamarine bananas that taste like ice cream. But bananas are more than just food; they’re symbols. As James Parker puts it in The Atlantic, “There’s an orthodox, old-school surrealism to the banana: its cartoon yellowness, its absurd curvature, the fact that when we think about a banana, we think about it upside down… and so we create a strangeness around the banana. We put it in banana quotes.”
In this edition of "Arrangements," we follow the banana’s journey from root to fruit, uncovering some of the weird and wonderful things it has inspired. Let’s peel back the layers together.
Cactus Store designed this “Bananas of Borneo” tee in collaboration with Anthony Basil Rodriguez, a storyteller, researcher and documentarian of rare plants. Rodriguez, who captured the photo of the flowering pink bananas featured above, has traveled the world studying these plants. You can read a conversation between
and Anthony here, where they delve into the fascinating world of wild bananas.In this arrangement by Humid House, smoke bush, okra, sea grapes and bananas reflect the climate and culture of Singapore through a lush, botanical language. It's "our city imagined as an ascension of hanging gardens,” they described on Instagram.
David Shrigley’s “Joy of Bananas” captures his playful, deadpan humor, turning daily life into absurd art. For a semi-circular pool at Brighton Beach House, he also chose a banana: “It’s an arc, so what’s it going to be? A banana,” he said. “It can’t really be a cucumber as they are not bendy enough.”
In “Big Fruit” by James Ulmer, two figures are transfixed by an oversized banana. Ulmer’s distinct, 2D style makes everyday objects take on new, unexpected dimensions, turning the mundane into something fresh and alive.
Phoebe Little’s “Peach Soda” blurs reality and illusion. A hyperrealistic soda can, 2-D rabbit, plugged-in candelabra and bunch of bananas create a scene like the cover of a strange book.
Daniel Arsham’s “A Gradient Banana Leaf,” a bronze sculpture painted in bright blue hues, evokes the fantastical nature of the banana itself. As one half of the design team Snarkitecture, Arsham’s work—spanning sculpture, film, set design and music videos—embraces a playful, whimsical spirit.
In the black-and-white photo from Jerome Ming’s Oobanken series, a man hides behind an oversized banana leaf. Ming’s work reflects his “displaced and uprooted” life, presenting familiar objects in unfamiliar settings, blurring the line between reality and fiction.
In Anna Hahoutoff’s photograph, verdant leaves and a bunch of bananas reach up to a vast, open sky. Known for her striking photographs of the natural world, Hahoutoff’s work emphasizes the textures, shapes and colors of her subjects.
Yutaka Sone’s sculptures of banana trees are crafted from rattan, bamboo or metal, and painted in cartoonish hues. Known for his meticulous detail, Sone blends the organic with the manmade, transforming gallery spaces into tropical forests.
Devon Made’s sculptural glass bananas are a nod to 1960s blown glass. Each piece is individually cast from a real banana into a solid, crystal glass form, capturing the fruit’s essence in vibrant, nostalgic hues from lilac to lime.
Pura Utz offers a delightful array of banana-themed jewelry, from a mini banana earring on a silver hoop to a beaded banana choker. The Fruit Salad Necklace showcases a banana front and center, accompanied by other fruits like pineapples, strawberries and grapes.
Nanas, a perfume by Chrontope, evokes banana candy along with notes of ylang-ylang, warm champaca, musky angelica root and other botanicals that smell of creamy yogurt and baked goods.
If you’re in Southern California, drop by the International Banana Museum, a wacky wonderland crammed with over 25,000 banana-themed treasures—from stuffed animals and staplers to a banana-shaped record player. And don’t miss the chocolate banana milkshake at the counter. The experience is literally bananas.
Now that you've made it to the end, it's time for a treat.
’s Banana Bread is my go-to recipe, but you can also try ’s Umami-Bombed Banana Bread made with soy sauce and Taiwanese black vinegar, or ’ fudgy, chocolate version. ’s Dulce de Leche Banana Bread Cake and ’s Sticky Miso & Banana Cake look divine, or for something more low-key (but still indulgent), try ’s Banana Scones. If you want to use the flowers instead of the fruit, try Vazhaipoo Bajji, a recipe that turns banana blossoms into a crispy, savory delight.
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Is it too cheesy of me to say this post is bananas good!? Loved seeing the whole picture from art to recipes. Really into the glass art of Devon Made. 🍌🤌🏻
such a lovely read! bananas forever 💛🍌💛