Daniel Martin Diaz
Encyclopedia
Daniel Martin Diaz is a Mexican American
artist
whose work has gained him international renown. His style is a combination of Northern European Art
, Spanish Colonial Art, Surrealism
, and Post-Modernism.
While he primarily works with oils
on wood, he works in a wide variety of other mediums, etchings, block printing, and stone lithography
.
In addition to his solo exhibitions, his work has been featured in magazines, TV documentaries, as well as book covers and his own book, Mysterium Fidei.
The multi-platinum band P.O.D.
commissioned Diaz to design and paint the cover of their self titled album Payable on Death
. The album went gold in four weeks and caused a controversy across the country due to the cover artwork Diaz created. In 2010, he designed and painted the cover of Good Charlotte
's album, Cardiology
.
, mystical votive offerings, the Flemish Primitives
, Gothic
ornamentation, arcane religious sigils
and medallions, alchemy
, as well as symbolism culled from assorted secret societies such as The Rosicrucians.
ism plays a central role in Diaz’s art. It harks back to an earlier Christian culture where a mostly illiterate populace could read the paths leading to the world of the Spirit
in the figures, colors, symbols, and gestures of the sculptures, paintings, and mosaics that adorned the portals, walls, and altar screens of the churches. Like his predecessors, he provides an artistic shorthand—one uniquely his—to bring his viewers to an inner, higher world.
, with singer Paula Catherine Valencia.
Mexican American
Mexican Americans are Americans of Mexican descent. As of July 2009, Mexican Americans make up 10.3% of the United States' population with over 31,689,000 Americans listed as of Mexican ancestry. Mexican Americans comprise 66% of all Hispanics and Latinos in the United States...
artist
Artist
An artist is a person engaged in one or more of any of a broad spectrum of activities related to creating art, practicing the arts and/or demonstrating an art. The common usage in both everyday speech and academic discourse is a practitioner in the visual arts only...
whose work has gained him international renown. His style is a combination of Northern European Art
Northern Renaissance
The Northern Renaissance is the term used to describe the Renaissance in northern Europe, or more broadly in Europe outside Italy. Before 1450 Italian Renaissance humanism had little influence outside Italy. From the late 15th century the ideas spread around Europe...
, Spanish Colonial Art, Surrealism
Surrealism
Surrealism is a cultural movement that began in the early 1920s, and is best known for the visual artworks and writings of the group members....
, and Post-Modernism.
While he primarily works with oils
Oil paint
Oil paint is a type of slow-drying paint that consists of particles of pigment suspended in a drying oil, commonly linseed oil. The viscosity of the paint may be modified by the addition of a solvent such as turpentine or white spirit, and varnish may be added to increase the glossiness of the...
on wood, he works in a wide variety of other mediums, etchings, block printing, and stone lithography
Lithography
Lithography is a method for printing using a stone or a metal plate with a completely smooth surface...
.
In addition to his solo exhibitions, his work has been featured in magazines, TV documentaries, as well as book covers and his own book, Mysterium Fidei.
The multi-platinum band P.O.D.
P.O.D.
Payable on Death is an American Christian metal band formed in 1992. The band's line-up consists of vocalist Sonny Sandoval, drummer Wuv Bernardo, guitarist Marcos Curiel, and bassist Traa Daniels. Their Christian faith is an important part of their music.They have released seven studio albums and...
commissioned Diaz to design and paint the cover of their self titled album Payable on Death
Payable on Death
Payable on Death is the eponymous fifth studio album and third major label release by Californian metal quartet P.O.D.. This is also their first album to include guitarist Jason Truby and their last album produced by Howard Benson. Payable on Death was released on November 4, 2003 through Atlantic...
. The album went gold in four weeks and caused a controversy across the country due to the cover artwork Diaz created. In 2010, he designed and painted the cover of Good Charlotte
Good Charlotte
Good Charlotte is an American rock band from Waldorf, Maryland that formed in 1996. Since 1998, the band's constant members have been lead vocalist Joel Madden, lead guitarist and back-up vocalist Benji Madden, bass guitarist Paul Thomas and rhythm guitarist and keyboardist Billy Martin...
's album, Cardiology
Cardiology (album)
Cardiology is the fifth studio album by pop punk band Good Charlotte. After various updates and uncertainty, it was finally announced the album would be released on November 2, 2010 through Capitol Records. Certain disruptions in the release involve the decision to re-record the entire album...
.
Influences
Diaz's influences include an eclectic mix from fantastical Mexican RetablosRetablo
A Retablo or lamina is a Latin American devotional painting, especially a small popular or folk art one using iconography derived from traditional Catholic church art....
, mystical votive offerings, the Flemish Primitives
Early Netherlandish painting
Early Netherlandish painting refers to the work of artists active in the Low Countries during the 15th- and early 16th-century Northern renaissance, especially in the flourishing Burgundian cities of Bruges and Ghent...
, Gothic
Gothic art
Gothic art was a Medieval art movement that developed in France out of Romanesque art in the mid-12th century, led by the concurrent development of Gothic architecture. It spread to all of Western Europe, but took over art more completely north of the Alps, never quite effacing more classical...
ornamentation, arcane religious sigils
Sigil (magic)
A sigil is a symbol created for a specific magical purpose. A sigil is usually made up of a complex combination of several specific symbols or geometric figures, each with a specific meaning or intent.- Name and origin :...
and medallions, alchemy
Alchemy
Alchemy is an influential philosophical tradition whose early practitioners’ claims to profound powers were known from antiquity. The defining objectives of alchemy are varied; these include the creation of the fabled philosopher's stone possessing powers including the capability of turning base...
, as well as symbolism culled from assorted secret societies such as The Rosicrucians.
Symbolism
SymbolSymbol
A symbol is something which represents an idea, a physical entity or a process but is distinct from it. The purpose of a symbol is to communicate meaning. For example, a red octagon may be a symbol for "STOP". On a map, a picture of a tent might represent a campsite. Numerals are symbols for...
ism plays a central role in Diaz’s art. It harks back to an earlier Christian culture where a mostly illiterate populace could read the paths leading to the world of the Spirit
Spirit world (spiritualism)
The spirit world, according to Spiritualism, is the world inhabited by spirits. Though a concept of a spirit world is in the constitution of most religions, it is not "itself the religion". Whereas religion regards an inner life, the spirit world is regarded as an external environment for spirits...
in the figures, colors, symbols, and gestures of the sculptures, paintings, and mosaics that adorned the portals, walls, and altar screens of the churches. Like his predecessors, he provides an artistic shorthand—one uniquely his—to bring his viewers to an inner, higher world.
Artist statement
"One of my earliest memories as a child was the way death and religion played an important role in my family’s life. My parents were born in Mexico with traditional beliefs, and their beliefs made their way into my subconscious. The fact that many of those beliefs seemed to render no logical explanation has also influenced me. These unanswered questions find a home in my work, which evokes the mystery, fear and irony of those vivid memories of my past. I do not claim to understand these questions. I just paint and let them reveal themselves to me." - Daniel Martin DiazMusic
Diaz is a primary member of the band Blind DivineBlind Divine
Blind Divine is an American band classified as trip-hop, shoegaze, and ambient. Their style is also a blended mix of genres, including dream pop, Britpop, and hypnotic rock....
, with singer Paula Catherine Valencia.
External links
- http://www.danielmartindiaz.com/ - Official website
- http://www.blinddivine.com/ - Blind Divine
- http://beinart.org/artists/daniel-martin-diaz/ - Daniel Martin Diaz - Surreal Art Collective