Spotlight on Diversity August 2023
Eduardo Zepeda Shares an Immigrant Life Well Examined
Eduardo Zepeda
Senior Designer
Tillotson Design Associates
Eduardo Zepeda hails from the small border town of Hermosillo near Phoenix. He is an architect by training and fell in love with lighting design at Lux Populi in Mexico City, but his projects have always been almost exclusively here in the US. The local lighting community presents a world of opportunities, and he finds the American brand of optimism exhilarating. For Zepeda, New York City was love at first sight.
“After I finished grad school in technology and architecture in Mexico City, a lighting design position opened up at Lux Populi. I’m grateful to my childhood friend Laura Arroyo for extending the invitation. And to Thomas Paterson for inviting me to collaborate and work with him, even though my knowledge about the field was extremely limited – I had a couple of classes on the topic,” Zepeda said.
He explained that he was intrigued by the physical phenomenon of light in design. “Thomas Patterson created an enormous impression on me with his passion for crafting in lighting. He combines a holistic vision with extreme attention to detail. Design concepts need to be strong and the drawings and transmittals even stronger: ‘as if the designer might suddenly disappear off the face of the earth.’ ”
Paterson also introduced Zepeda to Suzan Tillotson, who would bring him to NYC in 2019 and sponsor his visa. “Suzan takes such joy in lighting. This made a huge impression the first time I talked to her over the phone.” Zepeda continues to be inspired by her approach to form, method, concepts, and longevity. “Erin [Dreyfous] has taught me the importance of timeless design. She also leaves no stones unturned. This is, to me, the importance of a truthful design… ensuring the best path possible.”
Arroyo remains a close friend and went on to create FLOU Lighting Design in the UK. He credits her with “discovering” lighting design and sharing that fascination with him. “Through her eyes, I discovered something new about myself.”
Exploring heritage: a double-edged sword
“Being an immigrant does provide me with fresh eyes, and I believe that’s fortunate. I fell in love with the city on my first weekend visiting, and I’m still amazed by its change and evolution,” Zepeda explained. “My lighting design career is deeply rooted in the US. Probably my outsider perspective influences my design and other team members. I hope so.”
Zepeda spoke thoughtfully, he said that examining his heritage in relation to his career was a challenging internal exercise. Octavio Paz has been acknowledged as Mexico's foremost writer and critic, and Zepeda was influenced by Paz’ The Labyrinth of Solitude. “Being Mexican is part of my identity, but it’s not something I can describe,” Zepeda wrote of his dual indigenous and colonial heritage. “As Mexicans we highlight our differences, we shield, mask, or even party to protect ourselves, or as a result of our solitude."
“I believe this loneliness of being Mexican can be a double-edged sword. It can be a comfortable place to hide to avoid opening to the world. But it also teaches us about the human condition. To me, our time on the Earth is precious. I’ve learned both things through my Mexican heritage. An example of this is The Day of the Dead [Día de los Muertos] and how we celebrate this ultimate path that we all will be taking. It makes us appreciate life more. In this frame, I believe being Mexican does present internal conflict, but at the same time positively influences my life and career.”
Because it affects everything, this duality makes Zepeda passionate about lighting while deeply reticent to express it fully, lest it burst forth in a torrent: “It’s in my nature to suppress some enthusiasm. Working with Americans, I enjoy their positive attitude towards the world. But I am lonely in sharing my thoughts and feelings…. When I’m asked for an opinion, I know that I will be heard. But I need to be 100% sure about what I’m going to say before I say it.”
Putting down roots
Though Zepeda retains his identity as Mexican, his career is deeply invested in the US. So his intention is to stay. “My friends in the lighting community have helped me to leave everything behind in Mexico City. And I always welcome the opportunity when IESNYC invites the community for presentations. Whenever I meet new designers, I love to hear their personal and professional thoughts. I really appreciate that. Getting their insights and experiencing some of their work in-person has been one of the best experiences I’ve had in New York.”
