I was brought on to help design and hand paint the entire motorcycle sidecar — taking inspiration from hand painted jeepneys, buses, ice cream carts, and the traysikels themselves found in the Philippines. Michael and Paolo equipped me with endless childhood stories and jokes that ultimately brought TNT to life. Tagalog, word play, as well as elements of Filipino history can be found throughout the piece.

“TNT Traysikel is a public artwork that engages the streets of San Francisco. Traysikels are ubiquitous transport vehicles in the Philippines but a rare sight in the United States; we are aware of 5 Philippine-made sidecar rigs in the US. For many, its existence in America contributes to a sense of belonging and comfort. This is amplified through karaoke activations called TNT SideCaraoke, where people come together to sing and celebrate in community. TNT Traysikel is also the protagonist in a forthcoming film that explores notions of home and a cultural awakening.

This SFAC funded project is a collaboration between Michael Arcega and Paolo Asuncion. They have performed activations at SFMOMA, Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, The Exploratorium, Saint Joseph’s Arts Society, Kapwa Gardens, Institute of Contemporary Art San Francisco, and the Chinatown Media Arts Collaborative among other venues. It was featured at the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco as part of the exhibition, Carlos Villa: Worlds in Collision.”

— Michael Arcega / TNT Traysikel

Oct 2020