AT HOME
JOSE DIAZ

This new project was born out of an effort to feel more connected and learn up-to-date information artists and curators across the country. Every week, creators from across different disciplines share their new projects, quarantine hobbies and what gives them hope about art today. 

Jose Diaz is currently working and living in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Is there a particular project for work, either new or ongoing, that is capturing your attention? I have an exciting new exhibition about America opening next year at the museum. It was postponed but the artists included have a very strong body of work that talks about race, gender, sexuality, justice, and creativity in the country. More info here: https://www.warhol.org/exhibition/fantasy-america/

Have you picked up any new hobbies over the past 6 months? Sadly no because I kept thinking each week we would be resolving the pandemic and I would be back in the office.  

Our worlds have become much more localized due to COVID-19. Has your local environment or community shaped your work? Not really because for the past six months I have mostly stayed inside my home because safety is my priority. However, I have been able to transition my work to engage with artists in new ways, such as virtual studio visits and attending online chats and lectures.  

What (or who) have you looked to for strength and inspiration in these uncertain times? I grew up chatting on the phone so checking in and catching up with friends and family over Facetime, Zoom, or even safely outdoors, has been uplifting. Everyone is stressed, fatigued, angry, worried, and so forth and it's nice to know you are not alone.    

What's the best thing you've read, watched or heard over the past 6 months? I read a couple of books including the new Andy Warhol biography by Blake Gopnik, Mexican Gothic a spooky novel by Silvia Moreno-Garcia, and the new Hunger Games book The Ballad Of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins. Next in line is The Battle of Versailles: The Night American Fashion Stumbled into the Spotlight and Made History by Robin Givhan!

What are your hopes for the future?
I hope people unite and vote Trump out of office. We are living in a moment of intense pain, anger, worry and sadness. We need to heal and make this country a better place for BIPOC people, including the Latino community. There needs to be a changing of the guard at the White House.