Tropical Is Political: Caribbean Art Under the Visitor Economy Regime

Americas Society presents “Tropical is Political: Caribbean Art Under The Visitor Economy Regime“, curated by Marina Reyes Franco. The show investigates the ideas of natural and fiscal paradise, and the geographical coincidence of these concepts within the Caribbean region, where tourism and finance form the “visitor economy regime.”

The exhibition features works by 19 contemporary artists from the Caribbean and its diasporas, including Allora & Calzadilla, Sofía Gallisá Muriente, Gwladys Gambie, Abigail Hadeed, Joiri Minaya, José Morbán, Dave Smith, Yiyo Tirado, Oneika Russell, among others.

Through video, installation, painting, and sculpture, the exhibition will underline the effects of tourism and finance on subjects including economic policy, self-image, and artistic production. In contemporary times, Caribbean economies have transitioned from monocultures (particularly dedicated to sugarcane) exporting to North America and Europe to the receivers of visitors from the wealthiest countries, attracted by postcards of pristine beaches and the promises of a tax haven.

Across video, painting, installation and photography, the artists in “Tropical is Political” problematize and interrogate definitions of tropicality. As evident in the title of the exhibition, these works disrupt the façade of the tropical as a paradise and instead show the political, cultural, and economic machinations which create those fantasies. Together, the artworks create a varied and multifaceted picture of how the visitor economy manifests across the Caribbean region.