Born in Lima, Peru in 1957, Tapia initially studied Industrial Engineering and Communications at the University of Lima, Peru, during the mid 1970s. His path led him to the United States to study Painting at Santa Monica College in Los Angeles, California. He earned his bachelor’s degree in 1984 and his master’s degree in 1987 at the University of Texas at Austin, where he graduated with highest honors. In 2010 he was awarded the Teresa Pollak Award in the Fine Arts category in Richmond, VA. He has been awarded several grants and scholarships and has participated in numerous international and national exhibitions.
Tapia’s works belong in several important museum collections including: The National Museum of Culture, Lima, Peru; The Museo Pedro de Osma, Chorrillos, Lima, Peru; The Peruvian-North American Cultural Institute, Lima,Peru. The Ogden Museum of Southern Arts, New Orleans, Louisiana; the Global Centre for Drawing, Langford 120, Melbourne, Australia.
He was Director and Founder of VCU in PERU, a study abroad program for 24 years, as well as Associate professor in the Department of Painting and Printmaking at Virginia Commonwealth University, where he taught for 33 years.
Tapia is represented by Reynolds Gallery, Richmond, VA.
