Biography

Born in Venezuela but raised somewhere between Cumana, Shanghai, Hong Kong,

Beijing and San Francisco, Daniel Diaz-Tai has always defined himself as a Latino-Asian

male. His multiple homes have strongly influenced his chosen career as a visual artist.

While he began his career in the arts with my B.F.A. in Graphic Design from the

Academy of Art University in San Francisco, Daniel Diaz-Tai also earned my M.F.A in

Painting from the Academy of Art University of San Francisco. His work developed from

the need for him to find common ground between his journeys. By creating his own

language through painting and calligraphy, he discovered a process that allows him to

express himself. His studio is currently based at Arc Studios in San Francisco. Daniel

Diaz-Tai’s artwork has been shown throughout the United States, Venezuela and Asia.

He is currently represented by Cancio Contemporary in Miami and New York City as well

as by The Marina Cain Gallery in San Francisco.

Artist Statement

My artwork stems both aesthetically and conceptually from a lifetime of living in

Venezuela, China and the United States. My work serves as a continuous dialogue

surpassing the limits of my three native tongues Spanish, Mandarin and English. There

is an abstract interpretation that comes from these three languages and serves as an

expression of its own without the confines of any specific language.

My spontaneous brush strokes come from my subconscious expressing a new voice;

they echo the aesthetic of Chinese Calligraphy as well my obsession with text and

graphics. These brush strokes are intertwined with my own asemic writing to create a

powerful and seductive fluidity. Through a process of writing and washing, my work

speaks of a momentum and unique dialogue layer upon layer. The bold tones of black

and white and my intentionally limited color palette create a clear path through which I

can express my emotions clearly as well as intensely.