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.
