TEXAS TROPICS Pop-Up Gallery Opens at The Aiden

Luminaria will embrace the beauty of Latin America by highlighting 12 local artists and their work inspired by tropical rainforest and lush gardens. Celebrating their independence days in September include Brazil, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Mexico, Chile, and Belize. Explore how Latin American cultures influence San Antonio and brings vibrant color to our festive city. 

“I am thrilled to work with Luminaria to curate the Texas Tropics group exhibition, said Kristina Salinas. “Through this curatorial process, my appreciation for the tropical nations within Central and South America has grown in beautiful, vibrant ways. I am elated to present a stunning, strong collection of artwork to reflect that.”

Artists in the exhibit have ties to Mexico, El Salvador, Panama, Puerto Rico:

• Bernardo Aria 
• Maria Jessica Brown 
• CORBEN Jimenez 
• Galileo Gonzales 
• Laura Delmis
• Monica Bosch 
• Nancy Casanova 
• RAISA Melendez Tardi 
• Sol Macias 
• Symone Harvey 
• Tiffany Gonzales 
• Kristina Salinas

Of special note for this exhibit is the inclusion of a 5-foot tall macaw, loving named Sparkly, was created by local prop-maker, Tiffany Gonzales of TIFF’s Design Den.

The macaw was generated specifically to welcome concert-goers to Karol G’s recent record-breaking concert, Viajando por el Mundo Tropitour at the Alamodome on September 2, 2026.

Sparkly welcomed nearly 50,000 guests for a wonderful night of music and merriment, setting attendance records at the monumental venue just walking distance from The Aiden Hotel. Visitors are encouraged to take photos with Sparkly!

The exhibition is on view 24/7 in the Aiden Hotel lobby and mezzanine. Enjoy a cocktail in the lobby bar or make reservations for their speakeasy, No Vacancy, featuring live jazz music.

Recent exhibitions by Kristina Salinas:

• (Upcoming) November 2026- The Gallery at Plaza de Toros Candela (Candela, Coahuila, Mexico), my solo show Cognizant Distance travels across the border as the first ever art exhibit in the history of Candela, my ancestral home-my ancestors lived there 4 generations ago
• (Upcoming) October 2026- Un Grito Gallery, ‘Some Place Else’, two-person exhibition with Thomas Crowther
• February-March 2026-San Antonio Central Library Gallery solo exhibition, ‘Cognizant Distance’ (Contemporary Art Month)
• January 2026-March 2026- The Gallery at Texas Discovery Gardens (Dallas, TX), solo exhibition ‘Home Grown’
• November 2025-January 2026- The Contemporary San Antonio, Red Dot Art Sale, featured artist
• October-November 2025-The Carver Community Cultural Center International group show, ‘Parallel 29’ curated by Mars Villagomez and Monica Bosch
• October 2025- Luminaria Arts Festival, selected to create site-specific installation Memorial Altar for Texas Flood victims, “Midnight Monarch Flight”