A DANGEROUS MONKEY: The World Went Bananas #1 Painting

Eric Carrazedo de Andrade (1987, São Paulo, Brazil) is a visual artist who, since 2019, has fully dedicated himself to art, exploring the human condition and contemporary culture primarily through painting. His work is marked by the symbolic use of the banana, a central element that questions themes such as social disconnection, cultural trivialization, and the paradoxes of modernity. Beyond irony and aesthetics, his art frequently engages with questions of autonomy and resistance — while also reflecting on Brazilian identity, Latin America, and the notion of a “Banana Republic.” Ultimately, his work can be read as a visual pursuit of freedom. ARTIST STATEMENT “The World Went Bananas!” is my ongoing series exploring the human condition and contemporary culture through the recurring symbol of the banana – a simple yet powerful icon that moves between satire, pop, and poetic imagery. From political irony to playful absurdity, these works question our collective disconnection, the cultural banalization of symbols, and the contradictions of modern life. The banana, sometimes ridiculous and sometimes sublime, becomes both mirror and metaphor of a world on the edge of collapse.