@banana_bruiser has one of the most unique Instagram accounts that we have seen in some time. The artist who runs the account is named Anna Chojnicka and the portraits that she creates are so cool!
They are uniquely detailed, that is for sure. Did you know that she creates them by bruising bananas in the most strategic manner possible?
In fact, she uses a blunt instrument, so that she is able to bruise the bananas as easily as she can. No ink is used to create these portraits, which is so hard to believe. Anna really goes above and beyond to make sure that she is getting the most out of the medium and she shares photos of her work on Instagram.
She shares on her website that the idea first came to her while she was under the weather. She caught COVID when we were first learning about the virus, all the way back in March 2020.
Anna did not know what to do with herself and this is how she was able to pass the time. “By week two, the delirium was setting in. I picked up a fork and began running it along the peel of a banana. Half an hour later, the mark I made had become a clear brown line. An hour after that and it was black,” she shared. She made the most of a tough situation and is now well known for these incredible portraits.
Anna was also more than happy to take us through her process, which was a lot of fun as well. There are a lot of artists who might have tried to keep this aspect a secret.
She explains: “Bruise the peel by pressing into it lightly with a blunt point. Speeding up and controlling the bruising process conjures light and shade in the image. Over a few hours, the mark gradually goes darker until black. I start with the darkest parts of the image first, and then work my way backwards, finishing with the lightest parts last.” She even makes sure that none of the bananas are going to waste, which is a very noble pursuit.
“By managing the timing, it’s possible to make intricate images with graduating shades. There’s a short window of time when the image looks its best; I photograph the banana, and then eat it,” Anna continues.