ISAAC
TAPIA
ARTIST & MURALIST
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.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Isaac Tapia was born in Mexico, where he lived until moving to the U.S. when he was 9. Isaac focuses on portraits that elevate important-yet often under-represented-members of his community and celebrate the complex narratives of contemporary migration.
He blends photography, audio interviews, and traditional oil portraiture techniques to convey rich, multilayered stories and create opportunities for identification and connection. Isaac’s paintings have been exhibited throughout Kansas City-including at the Nelson Atkins Museum of Art-and his work has traveled in shows across the Midwest with the Mexican Consulate and La Onda and the M.A.S.A. Collective. He had a residency and exhibition at Casa Lu Sur en Mexico City in December of 2024. Isaac is a founding member of the M.A.S.A. Collective, and is one of the resident artists at Charlotte Street. He is also one-half of the mural duo IT-RA Icons, who have painted murals across the country.
