Cancaneo - Teo Clavero

Through the Spanish term “cancaneo” — a word slowly getting lost and merged into the global term “cruising” — Clavero reclaims a local vocabulary of intimacy and risk, tracing its presence from northern Spain and the neglected riverbanks of the Guadalquivir River.

Positioning a project within the city of Berlin, the artist researches the confluence of personal heritage and multinational space, examining aspects of queer life through geographical and cultural contexts. Referring to historical periods of art, such as Rococo, the artist understands cruising as a phenomenon in a historical context, offering a personal perspective and impression of this act within his artistic influence.

“Cancaneo” exists between documentary realism and fantasy, with the goal of gently unraveling dimensions of queer existence and the act that does not exist in secrecy, but as transhistorical spaces of encounter, solidarity, sanctuary, and pleasure.


In the words of the artist:

"Cancaneo" is my first solo exhibition in Berlin, in which I wanted to reflect the world of "cancaneo," a term traditionally used in Spain that is gradually being replaced by the word "cruising." I have created a series of watercolors depicting this subculture in Spain, ranging from scenes in the north of the peninsula to abandoned areas on the banks of the Guadalquivir River, which flows through my city. The works include both idealized representations and more raw visions, revealing the clandestine nature and secrets of these places, as well as the people who frequent them. Some pieces are inspired by compositions from classical masters, such as Velázquez, or by periods like the Rococo, among other styles, with the aim of lending a more cheerful and bucolic tone, inviting the viewer to recognize the works that have influenced my own.

Furthermore, I explore the world of cruising in Berlin, presenting scenes that oscillate between the realistic and the fantastical. Through this exhibition, my intention is to shed light on this act, contributing to destigmatizing it, since it has been carried out all over the world for a long time."

(Teo Clavero, artist)

Exhibition opening

• Date: February 28, 2026
  
• Time: 6:00 p.m.
  
• Location: Prince Peach