Anna Banana: Calling All Aka's

[epistolaris at freemail.hu]

From:  Anna Balana<a_banana at sunshine.net> 

CALLING ALL AKA's
art/research project    

If you use and are known by an assumed pseudonym or nickname, or have changed your name legally, (other than by marriage) and are willing to engage in a research project into the hows, whys and affects of that change, I want to hear from you.

THE OBJECTIVES of this art/research project are to:
a) locate a significant number of artists who fit the above description, and
b) to investigate relationships between your name change/assumed name(s) and whatever visuals you have that reflect or result from the changed name, in your work, outlook, disposition, activities, relationships and artistic practice , and to
c) document with video, photos and texts  any and all such evidence.

Through this research, I hope to verify the idea that those undertaking the radical step of changing their name, have accessed and expressed a wider range of talents, expressions and interests than they did while using their given names. My own experience in this regard, has been profound, and my reading on the subject, indicates that changing one's name has far reaching affects.

For purposes of the final presentation of my findings, I am looking for individuals who have visual evidence; materials that reflect or result from their new/assumed identity. For example; artwork (subject matter, style, media), clothing, photos/body size, posture, appearances (before/after), collections, activities; anything undertaken since the change that has a visual component.

THE FOUR PHASES of this research project are as follows:
Stage 1 to find/identify individuals who fit the description above.
Stage 2 is a questionnaire probing the above issues, to identify individuals whose name change has produced visual components, and who would be willing to engage in... .
Stage 3  a video interview, and permission to photograph the visual material that relates to/reflects your changed name for  an eventual . .
Stage 4  presentation/installation, possible publication of the results of this research.

PLEASE NOTE: STAGES 3 and 4 will be dependent upon funding, but the project goes ahead regardless of the final outcome/presentation mode.

PS. Other Anna Bananas WELCOME
If this project interests you, please contact:
Anna Banana, RR 22, 3747 Hwy. 101, Roberts Creek, BC Canada V0N 2W2, or <a_banana at sunshine.net>