Tropicália is a Brazilian artistic movement that arose in the late 1960s. It fused elements of western pop culture and the avant garde with traditional Brazilian art forms and musical styles, creating an original expression of Brazilian culture. The movement redefined Brazilian arts and re-shaped Brazilian society, and is considered one of the most significant cultural movements in South America in the 20th century. Melbourne Festival delves into this groundbreaking and highly influential movement. The Festival’s series of exhibitions, screenings and talks illuminates Tropicália’s intellectual and political genesis, and celebrates its contemporary legacy.

Forming the centrepiece of this program is a comprehensive exhibition at The Narrows of art and design works produced by Rogério Duarte, one of Tropicália’s key protagonists. The exhibition, curated by Warren Taylor and James Hibberd, will include Duarte’s acclaimed album covers and film posters.

Duarte is considered to be the main intellectual force behind Tropicália and one of Brazil’s great designers. He was the cover designer of the movement’s most important albums. He also cowrote songs with Gil and Veloso and produced the album covers for other great names in Brazilian Popular Music, such as Gal, João Gilberto and Jorge Ben. A left wing political militant in the 60s, the artist was arrested and tortured for his role in the Tropicália movement. 40 years on, the long reaching international influence of this movement and of Duarte’s practice is just starting to be investigated, analysed and recognised.

A number of presentations and performances will extend the Tropicália program, involving Duarte and band Garotas Suecas, hailed in Brazil as the successors to the legacy of Os Mutantes, the great psycadellic rock group founded within the Tropicália movement. To contextualise these cross artform elements, historical and contemporary in their significance, a screening of key films will be held at ACMI Cinemas (watch this space for more information).