| Sarah Zapata | |
| Birth Place: | Corpus Christi, Texas |
| Nationality: | American |
| Field: | textile artist |
| Training: | Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Fibers from the University of North Texas |
Sarah Zapata (1988) is an American textile artist of Peruvian heritage.[1] She lives in the Red Hook neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York and her practice is based in Fiber Arts, and addresses themes like labor, systems of power, Queerness, and the intersection of identity.[2]
Born in Corpus Christi, Texas in 1988, Zapata was raised Evangelical Christian by her Peruvian father and Christian mother.[3] Zapata identifies as a queer artist. She earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Fibers from the University of North Texas in 2011. She lives in the Red Hook neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York.[4] Her work has been shown throughout the United States, Mexico, and Peru.[5] Zapata is known for making statements, whether it is through her colorful installations or her bright orange hair.[6]
Zapata is recognized for her distinctive and textile-heavy artwork. Her pieces and latch-hooked carpets veer toward abstraction and perception while drawing inspiration from traditional Peruvian weaving.[7] Zapata's abstract woven artworks symbolically represent her intersectional identities such as her Christian religious upbringing or her gender identity.[8] Furthermore, Zapata’s body of work address issues like labor, systems of power and control, and Queerness. Her identities also include being an artist born and raised in Texas, and now working in New York. Ever since moving to New York, Zapata has embraced bright colors in her sculptural works that incorporate textiles.[9] Zapata's artworks have been shown at Deli Gallery, Museum of Arts and Design, and El Museo Del Barrio.
The majority of Zapata's works include hand-weaving, which is a very time consuming and labor intensive process. Hand-weaving incorporates both traditional and contemporary elements that add to its effect. The duration and endurance that go into hand-weaving make Zapata feel like she has to earn the work.
Notable works by Zapata include: To Teach or To Assume Authority (2018-2019), A Famine of Hearing (2019) and Standing on the Edge of Time (2019).[10]
Throughout her works, Zapata explores her own identity. A contemporary artist exploring older artistic styles, a Texan living in New York from a diverse background, a Queer artist raised Evangelical Christian, Zapata has a lot to explore within her own identity.[11] She uses her artwork as a medium to explore this theme and her own identity and encourages others to relate to her work and explore ones own identity.