Vanessa Diaz. To Receive an Intrusion by Observing What We Have

About

The project utilizes large sections of carpeting, fabric, plastic, architectural salvage, and various remnants of furnishings in irregular, alternative combinations. Rather than concealing, blocking out light, or providing comfort, these materials become extensions of the walls and influence the experience of moving through the space.

Diaz utilizes scavenged furnishings and architectural elements in specific combinations
that distort the expectations for daily use. Once familiar objects invite the viewer into a surreal, almost menacing fragment of the domestic realm, an observation of common household furnishings that adapt towards other functions. By evoking unfamiliarity between object and viewer, Diaz’s installation resonates as a house that is not here for habitation, while provoking new methods and strategies for claiming space.

The exhibition examines the process of arranging/re-arranging and how the placement of objects in a room or building effects routine interactions within the architecture. Observing different ways of living, traditions, architecture, and collections in the home informs Diaz’s understanding of how individuals respond to sculptural forms in an altered yet common setting.