Ricardo Zapata: Boca de Lobo
Boca de Lobo
A SOLO EXHIBITION BY NAPOLEON MEMBER RICARDO ZAPATA
The wolf’s mouth is damp, hot, and extremely dark. Boca de Lobo, meaning “Mouth of the Wolf,” is a term used in Puerto Rico to describe the void of pitch-blackness. The term gained currency during the intense dark nights following the aftermath of Hurricane Maria. The island regarded as paradise was thrust into the mouth of uncertainty testing its people’s capacity for hope and resilience without power, water, and basic resources. Zapata’s family lives on the island and weathered the cataclysm. His fraught desire for communication, access, aid for, and information about loved ones yielded the work for Boca de Lobo. The aftermath of the storm and subsequent fumbled efforts in aid exacerbated the people’s sense of loss, marginalization, and anxiety, further muddying the territory’s political relationship with the mainland. As Puerto Rico finds itself in the ‘Mouth of the Wolf,’ we must wonder if the country claiming a colonial stake commands the hungry jaws.
READ THE ESSAY BY LEAH GALLANT HERE
About the Artist: Ricardo Zapata is a Miami born, Philadelphia based interdisciplinary artist with work ranging from painting, drawing, video, and sculpture. He received his MFA from PennDesign at the University of Pennsylvania and his BFA from the Maryland Institute College of Art. He is a Lecturer at the Tyler School of Art and Pennsylvania State University in Abington.
Opening Reception
First Friday, June 1
6pm – 10pm
NAPOLEON
319 N 11th Street, 2L
Philadelphia, PA
Exhibition Dates: 6.1.2018 – 6.24.2018
Gallery Hours: Saturdays and Sundays 2pm – 6pm or by appointment
NAPOLEON 