Javier Tapia
Exhibition & Residency:
September 1 – October 31, 2014

The work of Javier Tapia can be described as a chain of events in continuous expansion. Some aspects of the work comments on problems associated with geo-politics and the function of art in the local and global culture, specifically, the influence of the colonial history, where his identity and background as a Chilean play a central role.

Media is a variable tool in his projects. The use of installations, video, photography, drawing, painting, and collage are complementary to each other in the construction of the overall body of work. The results are different installation outlooks and studies of representation, where social interaction and materiality are an open destination.

Relevant projects in the last few years of Javier’s career are: An Archeology of Motivations in Los Angeles (2012), Solid Liquids in Istanbul (2013) and Color Fields at Experimentarium Museum (2012), which was awarded the PaNIK Prize of Art. Tapia has also been present in important group exhibitions such as the Berlin Biennale (2012), the 9th Istanbul Biennale (2005), Art Brussels (2009), ALT CPH (2010), Charlottenborg Kunsthalle -Afgang (2010), and Nikolaj Kunsthalle (2013) in Copenhagen.

Javier Tapia (born in Chile, 1976) is a visual artist that lives and works in Copenhagen, Denmark. Since 1994, Javier studied visual arts in different countries and schools, such as PUC in Chile (1994 – 98), University of Barcelona in Spain (1999 – 2000), UCLA in the US (2009), and The Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Denmark (2004 – 10). Some of his professors and tutors have been important artists, such as: Thomas Demand, Gerard Byrne, and Mary Kelly.

The project is funded by the Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs, Santa Monica Cultural Affairs Latino CAP, and the Danish National Arts Council.