Alexander Diaz is a photo-based artist who received his MFA from the University of Florida. He is currently living in St. Augustine and teaching photography at the University of North Florida. Of this work he says, ‘Ever since I can remember, my mother has been constantly shopping and accessorizing her home with products typically found at discount stores. Her purchases tend to end up scattered around her house and over years accumulate into, what I define as, still lifes. These still lifes, that usually contain an eclectic set of objects, are continually evolving and shifting around her home. Her new purchases may add to an existing group of objects, while older decorations may be moved to different rooms or placed in the garage for next year’s yard sale. Growing up in this environment, I was overwhelmed by the clutter and abashed by her eccentric decor. However, as I got older and moved into my own place, I grew to appreciate her assemblages for their complexity and uniqueness. For me, these still lifes are layered in meaning and history and go beyond mere decorations. Her arrangements, like any successful fabricated still life throughout art history, are thought provoking and cleverly juxtaposed. These still lifes are not only informative of an individual, but they are also testaments of a culture that is based on consumption’.
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