ISAAC
TAPIA
ARTIST & MURALIST
My work
“I am a muralist and painter based in Kansas City, Missouri. My paintings explore the many aesthetic experiences of migration, fusing classical techniques of European portraiture with the bright colors, textures and patterns of my childhood in Mexico and the fluid imagery found in animation and street art that inspired me as an adolescent in the United States. My portraits are visual tributes to the many stories of struggle and triumph within my community. The faces-and stories-within my work expand upon existing narratives about representation and identity. By visually elevating those often overlooked by society, I honor their journeys and celebrate the moments of joy, resilience, resistance and peace that accompany survival.”
BIO
Isaac Tapia was born in Mexico, where he lived until moving to the U.S. when he was 9. He graduated from Paseo Academy of Fine and Performing Arts in 2010 and studied at the Kansas City Art Institute. Isaac is one half of the duo IT-RA Icons, a business collaborative committed to making fine art more accessible through murals, public art, youth mentorship and community engagement. In his solo artwork, Isaac focuses on portraits that elevate important-yet often under-represented-members of his community and celebrate the complex narratives of contemporary migration. Isaac’s paintings have been exhibited throughout Kansas City, and his work has traveled in shows across North America with the Mexican Consulate and La Onda. His most recent work, a large-scale portrait and interview featuring his parents, is now on view as part of La Presencia Estratificada at the Nelson Atkins Museum of Art. Isaac is a founding member of the M.A.S.A. collective, and is one of the resident artists at the Zhou Brothers Art Center.