The Vilcek Foundation will unveil the sculpture in a reception with the artist at The Bishop's Lodge on August 15.
NEW YORK, Aug. 15, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Vilcek Foundation is proud to announce the unveiling of a new sculpture, ¡Mexican! American! by artist Sergio Tapia. The piece, a vibrant and poignant exploration of identity, will be revealed at a special reception at the historic Bishop's Lodge in Santa Fe, New Mexico, on August 15. This event marks a milestone in the foundation's ongoing engagement with the Santa Fe arts community.
"¡Mexican! American!" by Sergio Tapia (2024). James Hart Photography, Santa Fe, NM.
Artist Sergio Tapia, photographed near his childhood home in Santa Fe, NM. Photograph courtesy of the Vilcek Foundation.
Sergio Tapia, an artist with deep roots in Santa Fe, brings a unique perspective to his work that reflects the rich and layered cultural history and heritage of the region. ¡Mexican! American! is the latest in Tapia's body of work, which incorporates a variety of stylistic elements that speak to the artist and to New Mexico's multifaceted historical narrative: from religious iconography that recalls the Spanish colonial era, to the politics and playfulness of Chicano art, to the vibrant ingenuity of lowrider car culture.
¡Mexican! American! features two intricately carved "Burro" Piñatas made of wood, fiberglass and automotive paints. The sculptures are lacquered with automotive paint, pinstriping enamel paint, and gold leaf, and stand on fiberglass bases.
Piñatas are visually iconic, ceremonial, and symbolize temporality and transformation. They represent a game of chance and the hope of what is to come: a showering of seeds, an abundant harvest, and good fortune. When rendered in durable media as Tapia does in ¡Mexican! American!, they change into something different. Through this piece, Tapia delves into themes of transformation and identity, illustrating the internal and external processes individuals undergo. The work is a reflection on what it means to navigate and reconcile the meaning and experience of the self: as an individual, and as an individual perceived.
Tapia is the son of artist Luis Tapia and Star Sanchez, who cofounded La Cofradía de Artes y Artesanos Hispánicos (La Cofradía). La Cofradía—a New Mexican exhibition group—grew out of the Chicano art movement and was developed in response to creative limitations initially imposed on artists by the Spanish Colonial Arts Society in 1926. Their artistic leadership set the stage for a new generation of Santa Fe artists to establish styles, forms, and media that subverted colonial narratives.
As a child, Tapia spent time in the studio with his parents and their cohort, and began carving and exhibiting his own work at the age of 5. "I remember when I started working in the shop," he recalls. "To go in there and see these two people working was intoxicating. You can have anything you want, you just have to learn how to make it."
The idea for this commission came in 2008, when Vilcek Foundation President Rick Kinsel encountered works by Tapia and his father at the Owings Gallery in Santa Fe. Kinsel was inspired by the combination of histories and iconography in Sergio's work and its connection with place and the histories of Santa Fe.
Through a series of conversations over the ensuing years, Tapia shaped his idea and concept for ¡Mexican! American! wanting to incorporate the mission of the Vilcek Foundation into the work. The Vilcek Foundation's commission of this work underscores the organization's commitment to collaborating with diverse artists in the cities in which the foundation works.
The reception at Bishop's Lodge will bring together representatives from the Owings Gallery, esteemed members of the local arts community, and supporters of the Vilcek Foundation. The event will offer attendees a first look at Tapia's compelling new work and provide an opportunity to engage with the artist and learn more about his creative process.
The Vilcek Foundation
The Vilcek Foundation raises awareness of immigrant contributions in the United States and fosters appreciation for the arts and sciences. The foundation was established in 2000 by Jan and Marica Vilcek, immigrants from the former Czechoslovakia. The mission of the foundation was inspired by the couple's respective careers in biomedical science and art history. Since 2000, the foundation has awarded over $7.5 million in prizes to foreign-born individuals and has supported organizations with over $6 million in grants.
The Vilcek Foundation is a private operating foundation, a federally tax-exempt nonprofit organization under IRS Section 501(c)(3). To learn more, please visit vilcek.org.
Contact Elizabeth Boylan The Vilcek Foundation 212-472-2500 [email protected]
SOURCE The Vilcek Foundation
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