The work I make arises from social systems and their relationship to content: quick shelter cement for refugees, plexiglas used in forensic studies, poplar and paint in American houses, bureaucratic forms used in asylum granting, etc.
I questions the way in which governments have self-exiled immigrants, asylum seekers and refugees in societies that remove all agency from the people, moving decision making away from them in relationship to their freedom, ability to negotiate social upheaval and creating a situation for them to reconsider their employment, religion and family under the framework of ‘politics’.
The aim is not for audiences to feel sympathy, rather it is for them to embody a sense of empathy as masses of people navigate across borders through oppressive systems that are originally intended to help them. My experiences in the uncertainty of our current situation in the U.S. has led my work to be more concerned about the situation of immigrants and asylum seekers internationally. This serves to make use of the space and time that a viewer allows for conversation. We must be humble with each other and listen as much as we can. We must share our spaces to give voice to those that cannot.
Born in El Paso, TX, I grew up on the other side of the border in Cd. Juarez, Chih. Mex. I have moved around a lot during my developmental years. Because of this, my interests deal with the hyperdiasporic nature of our modern world and its impact on cultural capital as masses of people are forced to relocate globally. What does art do to discuss these issues? More importantly, what art needs to exist for these issues to dissipate?
Óscar González-Díaz (US/MX) holds an MFA (2017) in Fiber and Material Studies from The School of The Art Institute of Chicago and a BA in Philosophy and Linguistics from The University of Texas at El Paso. He has exhibited in the USA, Mexico, Germany and S. Korea. He lives in Chicago, IL., enjoys discussions about wallpapers and occasional displays of human kindness.
Education
2017 MFA in Fiber & Material Studies - The School of the Art Institute of Chicago,
Chicago, IL
2010 BA in Linguistics, Philosophy - The University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso,TX
Grants/Awards
2020 Foundation for Contemporary Arts Emergency Grant - New York, NY.
2019 City of Chicago's DCASE Grant - Individual Artists Program - Chicago, IL.
2018 Chicago Community Trust Act Up Award 2019-18
2018 City of Chicago's DCASE Grant - Individual Artists Program - Chicago, IL.
2017 SAIC Berlin Residency - Berlin, Germany
2017 Edes Fellowship (finalist) - Chicago, IL
2015-17 SAIC Merit Scholarship
2016 The School of the Art Institute of Chicago President’s Office Research Grant
Exhibitions
Solo Exhibitions
2017 Reichstag Blue – Kanzlei, Berlin, DE.
2017 US & Them – The Stolbun, Chicago, IL.
Group Exhibitions
2020 In Flux: Chicago Artists and Immigration - Chicago Cultural Center - Chicago, IL.
2020 The Wrong Biennale - TEDXtalks, Cd. Juarez, MX.
2019 Terrain Biennale - Evanston, IL
2019 Bubbly Creek - CoProsperity Sphere - Chicago, IL
2019 Form Without Plan - Chicago Artist Coalition - Chicago, IL.
(curated by Greg Ruffing)
2018 I Was Raised on The Internet- Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago -
Chicago, IL (Curated by Omar Kholeif)
2018 Living Architecture - 6018North - Chicago, IL. (Curated by Tricia Van Eck)
2018 Memory Palace - Circle Contemporary - Chicago, IL. (Curated by Nina Wexelblatt)
2018 Southwest - TCC Gallery, Chicago. IL.
2018 I Was Raised on The Internet - Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago -
Chicago, IL. (Curated by Omar Kholeif)
2018 Living Architecture - 6018North - Chicago, IL. (Curated by Tricia Van Eck)
2018 Slow Moves - Stützpunkt Teufelsberg - Berlin, DE. (Curated by Stefan Riebel)
2018 $-W-O-O-S-H - Chicago Artist Coalition, Chicago, IL. (Curated by Courtney Cintron)
2018 Local Comfort - LVL3 Gallery - Chicago, IL. (Curated by Vicent Uribe)
2018 Memory Palace - Circle Contemporary - Chicago, IL. (Curated by Nina
Wexelblatt)
2018 Southwest - TCC Gallery, Chicago. IL.
2017 Good Friends - Pressestelle - Berlin, DE
2017 Chicago 9 – Prizm - Miami, FL. (Curated by William Cordova)
2017 Not In My Name – EXPO Chicago - Chicago, IL.
2017 SAIC MFA Show – Sullivan Galleries - Chicago, IL.
2017 Cit.i.zen - SUGS Gallery – Chicago, IL.
2016 New Works Show – Sullivan Galleries– Chicago, IL.
2016 Synergic Forms – SUGS Gallery – Chicago, IL.
Collaborative Projects
2018 DiasporaX - Chicago Latinx diaspora online/offline networks and resources
2018 LEAN Artist Chicago Community Project with Jeremy Bailey, Chicago, IL.2017 Comp… Dumpling! Exit Seminar (experimental writing), Chicago, IL.
2017 Comp… Dumpling! Exit Seminar (experimental writing), Chicago, IL.
Residencies
2018 HATCH Residency - Chicago Artists Coalition, Chicago, IL
2018 LEAN Artist Chicago - Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago, IL
2017 SAIC Berlin Residency at the Institut für Alles Mögliche - Berlin, DE
Teaching Experience
2015 – 2017 The Art Institute of Chicago - Teacher Asst. Adv. Print Fibers
2013 – 2017 EF Education First - English Head Instructor
2010 – 2013 CHUNGDAHM Learning - Academic Coordinator/ Lecturer
Lectures/Workshops
2018
A Post-NAFTA World - Chicago Artist Coalition, November 12.
DiasporaX - Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, July 27.
Demo Day - Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, June 23.
Harlequin Forest – The School of The Art Institute of Chicago, Mar. 27.
2017
. Nocturnal – Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, IL. Oct. 2.
Diasporas of Self-Exile – Institut für Alles Mögliche, Berlin, DE. Sep. 22.
Passing & Crossing – Sullivan Galleries, Chicago, IL. May 5.
Immigration/ in migration – The School of The Art Institute of Chicago - Panel
2016
. GHOST REVERIES – The School of The Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago,
IL.October 11.
Prostitute Disfigurement – The School of The Art Institute of Chicago,
Chicago, IL. April 26
Publications
2017 Catalago - self published MFA Catalogue, Cd. Juarez, Mex.
2017 Comp… Dumpling! - self published collection of writings, Chicago, IL.
2017 PLACE (SACRED SPACE): Without Beginning or End - collection of writings
from various artists, edited by Rachel Snack, Philadelphia, PA.
Collections
Joan Flasch Artists’ Book Collection - SAIC, Chicago, IL.Fiber & Material Studies Committee - Chicago, IL.
Studio shot
On Materials
My sculptures in paper, plastics and fibers utilize color and lines to represent a younger, child-like, sense of security and to evoke an inner dialogue of identity while, at the same time, inviting interpretation from the observer as to what the system or story might be.
My work in digital mediums emphasizes the use of relations and the conversations that originate from these interactions. More importantly, where the physical can have a material to represent it, the digital has a sensory reaction that depends on it as the fabric of interaction.
On theory
Mercer, Quine, Spivak, Hung
