Tropical is Political: Caribbean Art Under The Visitor Economy Regime  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.” This term denotes the ways in which a society is transformed by economic activity – services and goods consumed – of visitors, wherein the economy is reconfigured to serve the visitor.

Tropical is Political 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.

The exhibition is curated by Marina Reyes Franco, curator at the Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Puerto Rico. Tropical is Political is presented in collaboration with Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Puerto Rico, San Juan where the exhibition will be on view in spring 2023.

The New York installation of this exhibition was organized by Rachel Remick, Assistant Curator, Americas Society.