Upon revealing the inner flesh of a banana, the fruit takes on a different texture, soft and delicate. The inner flesh remains the same as the form it once took before its exterior was stripped back. The banana is a very common fruit found in many households, but has anyone taken the time to examine the external shell that encases the inner goodness that we desire? Often we throw away this bit of skin before giving it any consideration. Our impulse to chuck the skin away is so strong because we can’t imagine a purpose for it in our life? If I am unable to see the use of this external exterior, why bother with the same level of value that I place on the eatable bit inside?
The skin plays an important role in protecting the tender flesh of the banana that lies underneath. Without this shell, the banana would remain a casualty to the many things that could harm it. Have you ever noticed how perfectly the banana peels back to reveal the fruit underneath? Peeling the banana comes at an immediate convenience due to the natural way its shape unfolds. The new form it takes remains practical and intuitive to the needs of the user, a non-messy way of contributing to a healthy diet in human life.
In my attempt to bring meaning to the banana peel in a new way, I decided to film the banana in slow motion. By editing it in a way that is repetitive, it reinforces the purpose of the skin that often goes unnoticed. There is a certain level of importance that is placed on the way the camera can capture every small detail of the banana as it moves. There is an awareness that comes from looking at an object so close in detail, especially when its movement it repeated.
I chose to place narration over the video because I thought it would at the context to what the audience was looking at. Below, is the video and narration that I included in the one minute clip.
Narration:
Slow motion captures each minute detail of the banana as it is transformed into a lively rhythm. Each gentle flick of my hand makes way for gradual swirls that bring the banana to life. Rhythm makes its way into each sway of the peel as it moves against the lifeless background of the table and computer. This contrast that is posited through the framing of my phone as brings a gentle awareness to the banana as a life form rather than a static being. Digital flaws are rendered through tiny grains of noise formed around my hand as I move the banana. There is an eagerness that forms between the noise and the banana, reinforcing the life that the camera brings to the otherwise lifeless nature of a banana skin.
Video:
Banana from Lucas James on Vimeo.
