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Standing
within viewing range of a Daniel Martin Diaz original oil painting
may inspire intoxication, dizzy spells, and maybe even a shortness
of breath. An entire exhibition and you might want to be prepared
to rely on a back-up supply of air. Dizzying and hypnotic in nature,
each thoughtful piece is intrinsically layered with a stunning combination
of beauty and intrigue. The distinct painting style and simultaneously
rich and subtle color palette unite to produce work that showcases
the artist’s passion for the exploration of faith and its relationship
to life, death and the afterlife.
Daniel’s interest in religious ideals and iconography are of
an explorative orientation and not a manufactured effort to make a
definitive, in any direction, statement about organized religion,
but of an genuine curiosity formulated organically as a facet of growing
up in a Mexican Catholic home firmly rooted in traditional beliefs.
The polarity of temporal and spiritual left a lot of room in between
for questions, that pathway being the place where Diaz’s work
is created—a research zone to investigate the world between faith-based
beliefs and tangible realities and all of the emotions associated
with each.
The self-taught Tucson, Arizona artist parallels his continued expansion
of religious knowledge with a solid love and appreciation for many
periods in art history. His work maintains a definite individuality
while employing a blend of the spirit, sensibilities and techniques
of devotional and Mexican folk art, the Old Masters, and the Gothic
and Byzantine era works. The stark and distressed backgrounds touched
by lush reds and golds of his pieces capture the emotion engaged in
early Christian iconoclastic paintings, while paintings like his Illuminati
highlights arcane and secret societies such as the Ordo Templi Orientis,
a fraternal and religious organization that came to life in the early
20th century. Latin text is also a reoccurring feature in Diaz’s
work, as well as the ability to emphasize the time and weather elements
without taking away from the subject matter, itself. The soft crescent
moon in Aeternus Vita creates a haunting deep evening shade.
ss....s .
Like his multi-faceted interests, painting is not Daniel’s only
medium. His graphite on paper works, which sometimes go on to be fully
developed in painting, are beautiful. And it would be criminal not
to mention his frames. Intricately hand-carved selections of dark
wood are pieces of art unto themselves. Diaz the sculptor has created
some pretty awe-inspiring pieces like Sanctus Mannus, included in
the Tucson Museum of Art’s permanent collection. The life-size
horse sculpture sits atop a wooden platform with Latin text around
its borders and hosts a pensive angel on one side and a sacred heart
on the other, both surrounded by more text and imagery. Though he
didn’t sculpt it, Diaz also painted a guitar as a tribute to
deceased Pantera guitarist, Dimebag Darrell, for a group show that
has been touring the U.S. for more than a year. Tucson’s historic
hotel and music venue The Hotel Congress brought Daniel in to redecorate
their stage area and ended up with any band’s dream framework.
From the carved metal pillars complete with Diaz’s signature
number 13 carved into their centers to the plush red velvet curtains,
when the lights go down and the glass beyond those pillars is alight,
it’s pure visual bliss. Though the humble Diaz probably has little
clue, it’s hard to find an area resident that doesn’t sing
his praises. If a conversation about Tucson comes up, it’s a
rare occasion when his name is not mentioned. It’s obvious the
locals are more than proud of his presence and endeavors.
Simply put, the guy just rocks. Turning out an amazing product every
time, consistency is never a question with Diaz. Since he began painting
and creating these treasures of art in the 90s, a student of music
at that time, Daniel’s work has been featured in galleries around
the world, earned exceptional critical acclaim and has amassed an
ever-growing base of fans, collectors and supporters. Just a few years
ago Los Angeles art gallery owner Billy Shire (La Luz de Jesus and
Billy Shire Fine Arts) and his respective press published Triginta
Uno Dies—Thirty-one Drawings in Thirty-one Days and has now released
Mysterium Fidei (Latin for ‘mystery of faith’), an exquisite
128-page, full color, hardcover, cloth-bound, silver-embossed retrospective
of his work. The book journeys through Diaz’s oil paintings,
drawings and prints and offers a comprehensive view of his relentless
interests in human suffering, faith, mysticism and mystery.
Making such deeply personal work, Daniel hopes that viewers will have
a personal experience of their own while perusing his visions. “I
have always believed that when people view art they bring all of their
life experiences to that moment,” he says. “I hope in some
way that my work can stir past memories or evoke positive emotions
in the viewer.”
s..ss
The train doesn’t stop there, folks. Daniel Martin Diaz doesn’t
just make provocative, intelligent visual art; he’s also a master
of art in its sonic persuasion. He and his very dynamic wife Paula
Catherine Valencia comprise the foundation of Blind Divine, an ambient
musical project that while often gets described as trip-hop, its use
of parts of other styles including classical and electronica make
them not-so-easy to lump into one category. The beats and soundscapes
are the foundation for Paula’s sultry and engaging vocals. Sometimes
the group includes other members and explores various realms of multi-instrumentalism.
Blind Divine has produced three CDs currently and their music has
been used on several soundtracks including the feature films Taking
Lives and Orphans and Angels.
Much like Daniel’s artwork, the band exudes sincerity. In either
case, the work is not produced as anything but an extension of personal
growth, creativity and exploration. The band’s lyrics are honest
and unafraid, like the artwork, and have no concern with trying to
appease any preset notions of ‘coolness’ that exist out
there. It’s that brutal truth that reigns and rings through these
offerings, allowing the viewer to react and appreciate naturally.
Through the end of the year, a retrospective of Daniel’s work
will be knocking out guests of the Mesa Contemporary Arts Center,
a suburban Phoenix facility where work of Daniel’s has been in
the permanent collection since 2004, with more exhibitions to follow
in 2008.
www.danielmartindiaz.com
/ www.blinddivine.com
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