Título Salvaje ⇄ Salvaged Title

September 1 – October 16, 2026

Tropeycalia Club is proud to present their latest collaborative project, Título Salvaje ⇄Salvaged Title, a multidisciplinary exploration of cultural identity and political resistance. Rooted in the revolutionary spirit of the 1960s Brazilian Tropicália movement, this trio of artists uses paintings, mixed media, and installations to cannibalize and expose the absurdities of cultural imperialism and consumerism. By employing satire and pointed humor as subversive tools, their work draws on the legacy of colonialism to advocate for cultural sovereignty in an increasingly fragmented, hyper-globalized world. Through this fosterage of critical consciousness, Tropeycalia Club aims to provoke dialogue around social justice and the ongoing struggles for self-determination.

ABOUT THE ARTISTS

Juan Carlos Quintana is a Cuban-American artist whose work embodies the movement’s irony and ambiguity. He creates what he describes as a "pre-post-anti-pro revolutionary gumbo/ajiaco potpourri" of images. His whimsical, satirical style speaks to ideological conundrums and lost idealism, challenging dominant narratives much like the original Tropicalistas used art to critique authority.

Carlo Ricafort, a Filipino-American artist, parallels the movement's eclectic approach by excavating history, music, philosophy, and current events. He "hacks" multiple sources to create free-associative, open-ended commentaries through painting, drawing, and printmaking, resisting cultural purity in favor of a complex, immigrant informed hybridity.

John Yoyogi Fortes is a Filipino-American artist who connects the migratory journeys of birds to the Filipino diaspora. Weaving together influences from Filipino culture, American pop culture, nature, and history, his work on immigration and belonging uses humor and bold visuals to grapple with identity negotiation. This mirrors Tropicália's blend of local and global aesthetics to explore decolonization and survival.

Artist Talk: Thursday, 9/24, 5-6PM, Library Gallery
Speakers: John Yoyogi Fortes, Carlo Ricafort, and Juan Carlos Quintana