VUE

BY ABBY MONTANEZ D escribing Domingo Zapata as a man of passion would no doubt be an understatement. Although, this may also be the artist's favorite way of describing himself. Seen frequently amongst the company of A-listers such as Johnny Depp and Leonardo Dicaprio, Zapata's lavish lifestyle has earned him almost as much attention as his Expressionist paintings, which these days, go for an average of $70,000. And while Zapata credits both his artwork and celebrity clientele for his rise to stardom, his road to acclaimed artistry is one paved from hard work. Growing up in Palma de Mallorca, Spain, Zapata decided that when it came time to go to college, he would use this as an opportunity to see the world. After enrolling in London's Regent College where he studied Political Science, he later moved on to American University in Washington, D.C. to pursue his degree in art. Infatuated by the abundance of inspiration nestled within big cities, Zapata would eventually set up studios in New York, Miami, Los Angeles, Venice and Paris. Referred to by The New York Post as "the next Andy Warhol," Zapata's paintings are a rebellion against conceptual art, oftentimes poeticizing motifs such as sexuality, opulence and vitality. Utilizing both oil and acrylic paint, Zapata creates bold and vibrant designs that combine graffiti, mixed-media and collage applications with nods to his Spanish heritage and American pop-culture. A lover of layering colors and textures, Zapata is also known for exploring the limitations of one's imagination, creating his own world in which fact and fiction can coexist simultaneously. Due in part to his own personal eccentricity and genuine poetic vision, the praise Zapata has earned thus far is nothing short of well-deserved. VUE recently had the chance to catch up with Zapata, discussing everything from his life, artwork and his most recent project, a debut novel expected to be released in July 2017. FALLING IN LOVE WITH EXPRESSION V U E N J . C O M 67 VUE ON THE ARTS

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