The experimental artist discusses her playful iconoclastic approach to publishing

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Fiona Banner often works under the moniker of The Vanity Press. She established the imprint in 1997, with her seminal book The Nam. Since then she has published many works, some in the form of books, some sculptural, some performance based. In 2009 she issued herself an ISBN number and registered herself as a publication under her own name. Humour, conflict and language are at the core of her work.

She first became known for her “wordscapes” – often heroically proportioned works that capture in her own words films, from war blockbusters to porn. She often works with the “nude”, transcribing the human form into category-defying prose. Sometimes she repurposes military aircraft to brutal, sensual, and comedic ends.

 

Yn aml, mae Fiona Banner yn gweithio dan enw, ‘The Vanity Press’ - gwasgnod a lansiwyd ganddi yn 1997 gyda’i chyfrol nodedig, ‘The Nam’. Ers hynny mae wedi cyhoeddi nifer o weithiau, rhai ar ffurf llyfrau, rhai ar ffurf cerfluniau a rhai ar ffurf perfformiad. Yn 2009 fe roddodd rif ISBN iddi hi ei hunan cyn cofrestri ei hunan fel cyhoeddiad. Mae hiwmor, gwrthdaro ac iaith yn greiddiol i’w gwaith.

 

Fe ddaeth i amlygrwydd gyntaf gyda’i geirluniau (wordscapes) – gweithiau anferth lle byddai’n sgwennu disgrifiadau manwl, eiliad wrth eiliad, o bob math o ffilmiau - o ffilmiau rhyfel i ffilmiau pornograffig – yn ei geiriau ei hun. Yn aml, mae’n gweithio gyda’r ‘ffurf ddynol noeth’ gan ei drawsgrifio’n ffurf ryddieithol sy’n amhosib ei gategoreiddio. Weithiau mae hi’n ail-bwrpasu awyrennau milwrol at ddibenion egr, synhwyrus a doniol.