Reviews
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Professional Reviews
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Published in Glimpse
Quarterly's Fall 2004 Issue:
Though legal restrictions prevent Tamara Diaz from physically
exploring her father's native country of Cuba, thought
stories and art, she explores Cuba's spirit and soul.
Freestyle: "Homeland"
Text and illustrations by Tamara Diaz, with an introduction
by Kimberley Leadford.
Though legal restrictions
prevent Tamara Diaz from physically exploring her father's
native country of Cuba, thought stories and art, she
explores Cuba's spirit and soul. Tamara Diaz longs to
walk through the streets of her homeland, Cuba. Her
roots constantly tug her south, but physical and geographic
obstacles prevent her from exploring her lands and connecting
with her people.
While her feet have never
touched Cuban soil, Tamara has lived many lifetimes
in Cuba. Her connection lies in the stories told by
her family - her abuela (grandmother) reminiscing about
the "old days" in Cuba, her tia (aunt) and
her papi (father) teaching her how to salsa. Tamara
says, "That's how I learn about my culture, through
memories and songs." Her art shows that words like
"embargo," "blockage" and "border"
merely restrict our physical ties, leaving a more soulful
connection intact.
Here, Tamara shares works of art inspired by this "soulful
connection" and discloses the stories that lie
behind each: |
 “Abuela"
Abuela, my father’s mother, was born in Habana,
Cuba in 1922. She left Cuba, with her husband and two
children, to come to this country in 1962. Living downstairs
from us, she raised me for my first 5 years while my
parents worked. Abuela instilled in me a sense of spirituality,
taste for Latino food, music and deep feelings for Cuba.
The patron saint of Cuba, La Virgin Caridad del Cobre
(Our Lady of Charity), is always worn around her neck.
At times, abuela will light a candle on her beautiful
altar of saints, and pray to “La Virgencita.” |
 “La
Casa de Tia Marta”
Tia Marta is abuela’s sister, who lives in Hialeah,
an area near Miami with a large Cuban population. Recently,
while visiting with Tia Marta’s son and his children
for the first time in many years, I was shocked to find
that they hardly spoke any Spanish. While I try hard
to preserve my roots, by reading in Spanish, listening
to Spanish radio, and music and immersing myself in
Latino culture, my father explained how when he was
younger, being Latino was not “cool.” He,
like many immigrants, wanted to be American, and this
meant assimilating as much as possible. |
 “Cuba
Sunset”
Cuba Sunset depicts my vision of Cuba’s soul. It
is the strong spirit, music and vibrant colors of the
island, despite la Lucha, the everyday uphill battle
of life. |
 “Poder/Power”
“Power” is a painting that depicts the feelings
of emptiness and confusion that accompany the loss of
ones country or cultural roots. It is about being unsure
where you belong or how to overcome the pervasive sense
of disconnect. Ultimately though, it is about conquering
powerlessness through cultural pride. |
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"Tamara's
artwork exudes the confidence of a true artist. Somewhat
reminiscent of Keith Haring, with her bold shapes and
vibrant colors, Tamara's pieces seamlessly blend a child's
meandering imagination with an adult's thematic sophistication.
Exploring such issues as national identity, cultural
assimilation and dual ethnicity, Tamara's art has a
distinctly "Latin" flavor that no doubt derives
from her Cuban roots. Given her talent, energy and innovation,
I look forward to seeing her artistic career continue
to flourish in the coming years."
-Kerala Goodkin (Editor in Chief),
Glimpse Magazine
www.TheGlimpse.com
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You can
also sample the increasingly international flavor of
the city's art scene at Providence City Hall, which
is hosting a multi-ethnic art exhibit on its second
floor mezzanine.
The dozen or so contributors
are all associated with the Sol Gallery, which is looking
for a new home after losing its longtime space in South
Providence.
In particular, look for
the work of Augustin Patino, an artist whose dense,
figure-packed painting Long Shadows suggests the work
of a latter-day Hieronymus Bosch. Also good are the
playful Pop Art paintings of Tamara Diaz (especially
her portrait of revolutionary leader Che Cuevara) and
a pair of photographs of Santeria shrines by Paul Daglieri.
Through July at Providence City Hall, 25 Dorrance St.
(at Kennedy Plaza). Hours: Mon.-Fri. 8:30-4:30.
-Bill Van Siclen, Providence Journal
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A few weeks
ago, I reviewed a small art exhibit on the mezzanine
level of Providence City Hall. What I didn't know --
and what no one at City Hall seemed to know either --
was that the show was actually half of a two-part exhibit
of artists associated with South Providence's Sol Gallery.
After a friendly call
from Steven Pennell, gallery coordinator for URI's Providence
Campus, I found the show's other half tucked away on
the first floor of the former Shepard Building on Washington
Street.
It's worth a visit. Providence's Latino community is
growing by leaps and bounds, and the talent and visibility
of the city's Latino artists is growing along with it.
In particular, look for
the jazzy mixed media collages of Pablo Alvarez, the
playful Pop Art paintings of Tamara Diaz,
and the marvelous surrealist-tinged canvases of Augustin
Patino. Also good are works by Frank Stratis and Jose
Dario Rojas.
-Bill Van Siclen, Providence Journal
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 "Tamara
Diaz has the greatest number of pictures in the exhibit.
Her collection of acrylic paintings includes Casa de
Amor, Abuela, La Casa de Tia Marta, Peace Pump and Cuba
Sunset. The bright works use a great deal of purple,
yellow and green and recall fond memories of family
and places past. Her art seems intent on identifying
and getting at the heart of memory, but conveys those
memories in an arrestingly positive light."
-Julie Tremaine, East Side Monthly |
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Venue Reviews
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Art
is often revelatory of the identity of the artist who
creates it. The paintings of Rhode Island artist, Tamara
Diaz, display in a visual format, Ms. Diaz's extraordinary
concern for people, especially children. As a social
worker, Ms. Diaz has dedicated herself to improving
other's lives. That same attitude is observable in Ms.
Diaz's art, where a shining enthusiasm for life emerges.
Ms. Diaz's art expresses love and joyousness. Though
these emotions might be far less frequently incorporated
in contemporary art, Ms. Diaz makes it clear that fine,
interesting art can be created from a positive mindset.
Ms. Diaz's body of work is not static, however. She
deals with pain and sadness in her paintings, yet she
does not revel in these emotions or exploit them for
artistic cache. Rather, she handles the feelings honestly,
offering a full range of art chronicling the human condition.
 Throughout
her paintings, Ms. Diaz has developed an absorbing narrative-representation.
The artistic style of Ms. Diaz's paintings is quite
consistent with the care for humanity evident in the
work's thematic development. Usually at the center of
Ms. Diaz's art is a person offering themselves and their
spirit. Ms. Diaz's style is likewise rather different
from other artists: her forms are soft and rounded,
her colors bright and buoyant. The scenes are mostly
fantastical and metaphoric. The work is realistic in
that the emotions introduced are some of the most frequent
that any person will experience. However, the paintings
themselves expand beyond realism into a type of visual
dream-world that synthesizes many art traditions, yet
emerges with an original style all Ms. Diaz's own. Surrealism
and children's art seem equally inspiring to Ms. Diaz
and her work pays homage to both styles.
Ms. Diaz was born in New
York City and now lives in Providence, Rhode Island.
Her family is immensely important personally as well
as artistically. Her father's Cuban heritage influences
her color inclusion and occasionally the content of
her paintings in a direct way. Her mother's family are
Holocaust survivors and Ms. Diaz populates her work
with strong, resilient but loving women. The mediums
vary greatly, as Ms. Diaz utilizes markers, acrylics,
watercolors, pen and ink, collage and computer illustration.
-Ruthie Tucker: Gallery Executive
Director and Curator, Amsterdam Whitney International
Fine Art, Inc.
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Amsterdam
Whitney Gallery, a museum-forum gallery, known as "the
most beautiful gallery in Chelsea," was proud to
exhibit the exhuberant paintings of Tamara Diaz, in
a group exhibition entitled: "Silhouettes of the
Soul." Tamara's exhibition at Amsterdam Whitney
Gallery, in Chelsea, NY,which is the internatonal epicenter
of the artworld, was viewed by collectors and art enthusiasts,
both nationally and internationally. Her joyful work
and passionate colors exude sunshine and love. We are
confident Ms. Diaz will be a shining Star in the Chelsea
Art World.
-Ruthie Tucker, Amsterdam Whitney
Gallery |
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Amature Reviews
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 Tamara
Diaz is now exploding onto the artistic community, with
a bullet. I've been fortunate enough to have been exposed
privately to her art over the years and have watch it
grow into its current form. As an independent artist
myself, I am very critical, yet supportive of other
artists in the community, and I can honestly and whole
heartedly say that Tamara's work is amazing, unique,
and visionary.
She is truly my favorite
visual artist...holding court with Frida Kahlo and Keith
Haring. Tamara's works show her innate original style
and bold vision while capturing the truth and beauty
in life and humanity. Her art is inspiring, magical,
and captivating. Throughout the community, I have been
hearing rave reviews and have been watching Tamara's
art stir up the passions of others, moving them in ways
only true artistic expression can do. They instantly
turned into fans, supporters and buyers of her work.
-NeiL Aaron, an independent artist
and musician residing in San Francisco, CA |
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"True
Colors," artist Tamara Diaz's most successful art
exhibit yet, is absolutely amazing. The opening night
was just unbelievable! Her huge cadre of supporters,
from various different scenes, including friends, family,
fellow artists and art lovers, were out to celebrate
this up and coming artist's big night! Need I say that
she was smashing as usual? Her playful sense of humor
and colorful seriousness set the tone for a truly remarkable
art enthusiast's experience. The moment I entered the
gallery, I experienced an intense explosion of color,
blasting its way through my senses. I am always taken
by the stories Diaz's work tells, but with this exhibit
I could not get past her color schemes. They were funky
and vibrantly wild!
My boy, Roland Diaz, said
his favorite piece was "Fainted." Although
it had a "sad sequential storyline," he said,
"the more I analyzed it, the further I was taken
off to a peaceful place." In the piece, the event
depicted represents a factual experience in the artist's
life. Roland Diaz, the artist's brother, found "Fainted"
to be sad, as it broke his heart to imagine his sister
suffering from pain, but when he was able to dissolve
the piece's connection with his sister, he was able
to imagine how peaceful it must have been to have fainted
in a safe and secure space.
One of my highlights of
the evening was speaking with Angel Garcia, my favorite
graffiti artist, comparing and contrasting the work
of Diaz, with that of Keith Haring. It is not often
that I am able to speak with someone who has more than
a superficial understanding of Haring's work. Garcia,
a native of the Bronx and a graffiti artist of twenty
years, was an eyewitness to Haring's pieces as they
popped up rapidly throughout the New York City Subway
system. His familiarity of Haring's work provided us
with a great opportunity to discuss the differences
and similarities of the two artists. Although the influence
of Haring in Diaz's work is hard to miss, the direction
that Diaz has taken her work is new and so far, unique
to the art world. Many of Diaz's pieces are a vision
of a more optimistic and spiritual place. Diaz, a social
worker, spends much of her time aiding in the healing
of children. Both Haring and Diaz share a common love
and concern for the state of the world's children.
 My
personal favorite of the evening was "Che."
(See Photo) Che Guevara, a Argentine intellectual, was
one of the masterminds of the Cuban revolution. Diaz,
a woman with a profound yearning for a free Cuba, views
the political situation of Cuba as being against the
democratic ideology of Che. The piece is so powerful!
A vision of Che explodes out of the sky like Providence,
as three refugees in the Atlantic are looking up to
him praying for a free Cuba.
As I strolled around the
gallery I decided to eavesdrop and find out what the
guests were saying about the exhibit. Many of the guests
were in awe at the volume of work Diaz has produced
in the last two years, especially within 2003. One guest
viewing "Scream," one of Diaz's more cynical
pieces, was commenting on the disturbing feeling it
evoked in him, while others were analyzing the significance
of the halos of the angels below, as opposed to those
above their figures. One commentator wondered if "Tia
Marta's House" was made out of soft-serve ice cream.
A new collector of Diaz's work, was asked by Diaz, if
he liked the "bendy building" in "Flowers,"
a piece he purchased. He responded, "That's a building?"
It is always amazing to hear other interpretations of
the artists work, other than those of Diaz. The symbolism
and universality are what makes the art so amazing.
-Kimberley Leadford |
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