Alejandro Diaz
Based in New York City, Alejandro Diaz is originally from Texas where he developed an exciting and pertinent body of work exemplifying the complex and visually rich cultural milieu particular to South Texas and Mexico.
Diaz's conceptual, campy and political cardboard signs - which he began making and selling on the streets of Manhattan in the late 90s - are emblematic of his recurrent use of everyday materials, his humor infused politics, and his ongoing involvement with art as a form of entertainment, activism, public intervention, and free enterprise. The ongoing cardboard signs series continues to evolve with some of the sayings now being produced in neon.
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Alejandro DiazHappiness is Expensive, 2008Neon mounted to acrylic panel with rheostat
9 x 83 inches
Edition of 5Sold -
Alejandro DiazIn the Future Everyone Will be Famous for $15.00Neon28 by 48 inchesSold
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Alejandro DiazQualityNeon mounted to acrylic panel with rheostat10 by 38 7/8 inchesSold
In 2003, Diaz created a major installation for the Havana Biennial, I Cuba, an installation of free souvenir items emblazoned with the artist's twist on the familiar New York slogan.
He was commissioned by the Public Art Fund, New York's premier presenter of public art, to create 4 large-scale sculptures for the grand concourse in the Bronx (2006).
Most recently, Diaz was the recipient of the prestigious Louis Comfort Tiffany Foundation Award and was selected to participate in a major group exhibition at LACMA, Phantom Sightings: Art After the Chicano Movement, which will travel to Mexico City, Houston, and New York. In 2009 he did a solo project at the critically acclaimed Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum, CT. Diaz has lectured on his work at the Whitney Museum of American Art and the Drawing Center, NY.
His work has been reviewed in publications such as the New Yorker, The New York Times, Flash Art, and Frieze.