This Is Not a Banana Republic: A Manifesto of Empire Domination, the Immigration Experience, and Empathy.
Viewers are invited into an immersive exploration of the artist's personal journey and the broader immigrant experience. This solo exhibition delves into the transformative power of art as a tool for defiance and empowerment.
Beginning with the artist's poignant experience of undergoing a hysterectomy, the exhibition unfolds as a symbolic battleground depicted through clay sculptures, intricate fibers, and evocative photography. Here, the resilience of the human body stands as a defiant gesture against oppressive systems. The banana, once a simple fruit, emerges as a potent metaphor for the artist's struggle and the enduring war against the immigrant experience.
Through meticulously hand-built clay sculptures, each artwork represents the unchanging element within, juxtaposed with the decaying reality symbolized by parts of the real fruit. Intertwined fibers weave tales of struggle and resilience, while photography captures moments of raw emotion and defiance.
Each piece serves as a testament to the resilience of immigrant communities and the power of art to amplify marginalized voices. As visitors navigate through this artistic rebellion, they are invited to witness the beauty born from hardship and engage in a dialogue of resilience.
'This is Not a Banana Republic' stands as a beacon of hope, urging viewers to join the rebellion against societal confines. This exhibition is a call to arms, a rallying cry for empathy towards the immigration experience. It challenges viewers to educate themselves on the historical moments embedded within the banana industry and its implications on politics, economics, and global dynamics.
Join the artist in this manifesto, a legacy carved from pain and a revolution ignited with art. This is a profound invitation to explore the unbreakable spirit of humanity in the face of adversity, celebrating the anthem of the marginalized, the immigrants, and the resilient.
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The Alice F. and Harris K. Weston Art Gallery
Exhibition Details
June 20 - Aug 24, 2025
Born in Guatemala, and currently residing in Cincinnati, OH where she teaches at the Art Academy of Cincinnati, Erika NJ Allen creates immersive mixed-media installations exploring her personal journey and the broader immigrant experience. This is Not a Banana Republic unfolds as a symbolic battleground depicted through clay sculptures, and evocative photography. Here, the resilience of the human body stands as a defiant gesture against oppressive systems. The banana, once a simple fruit, emerges as a potent metaphor for the artist's struggle and the enduring war against the immigrant experience.
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Photography by Wes Battoclette, courtesy of The Weston
Domestic Fallout, 1837-1901, 2025
Installation
Domestic Fallout
Domestic Fallout brings together glowing uranium glass and ceramic bananas to explore nourishment, toxicity, and domestic life. Uranium glass, once common in kitchenware, was phased out after World War II when uranium was diverted to nuclear programs. Its ghostly glow recalls both fallout and the hidden dangers woven into everyday objects.
The bananas point to another history: how United Fruit Company, now Chiquita, “civilized” the banana by shaping an image of everyday life so it could enter American homes—masking the labor and land exploitation behind its polished presentation. By using materials that once filled kitchens, the installation turns domestic objects into witnesses of history, showing how beauty and unease coexist in the things we consume.
