LAST1114

Mysterium Fidei, Mystery of Faith, is Daniel Martin Diaz's newest collection of art. His painting, prints, and drawings are inspired by devotional folk art, which he blends with archaic imagery and old-world aesthetics, immersed in the passionate imagery of his religion, especially the Old Testament. The rich earth tones and artificially decayed sepia backgrounds are warm and sensual, inviting the viewer into a dark but comforting other-world that recalls both Giotto and Dali. With its large-eyed figures in scenarios that are at once gruesome, surreal, and holy, Diaz's work has considerable appeal for fans of Mark Ryden and Camille Rose Garcia; but he rejects the "lowbrow" label, and the solemnity and sincerity of his work makes it stand out in the contemporary art scene. The artist behind Triginta Uno Dies: Thirty-one Days, Thirty-one Drawings, Daniel Martin Diaz was born and raised in Tucson, Arizona, in a traditional Mexican Catholic family. Foreword by Gloria Fraser Giffords, author of Mexican Folk Retablos and a historian of Mexican religious art.