Celeste Diaz Falzone (b. 1998 in Dallas TX to Colombian mother and American Father) lives and works in Pawtucket RI. Her studio practice consists of 2 and 3D mixed media with a base in textiles. Celeste’s work is built on her experiences and touches on themes of neurodiversity, identity, and humanity.
Artist statement:
My work is essential in my ability to be. Before dedicating my life to the creation of this work I was unable to connect, dissociated from my surroundings, and had no sense of purpose or care towards anything beyond exploring my mind. It can be overwhelming when I am not able to work, as it feels like a food supply, and an anchor to the world I now want to be in. While I was not working on large projects, I have always kept a book of drawings and developed my style, which I think of as being dark, dissociative and existential. The objects I desire to create blend this pursuit of comfort and connection with darkness and dissociation. I use soft and common materials to make forms that echo the energies of childhood objects that provided me comfort; such as stuffed animals, collectables, dolls, computer games and blankets. Spending my life primarily in quiet thought has created what feels like an even field between the physical and imagend. As I continue to further enter this human world, I must bring my interior landscape with me, not only to process my thoughts and observations, but as a mirror of physical mass, reconnecting me to my body.
My work feels more like my body in the flesh that surrounds me. It can be challenging to make facial expressions that match the feelings I experience, or put words to the thoughts in my head. My work communicates what I am thinking or feeling better than I ever could.
I don’t think my work is me because I don’t know who I am. I feel as though I am only thoughts, but our thoughts are not our own, just information passing through. I translate these passing thoughts into objects I can see, and try to make sense of all the scattered pieces; who I am, and what I’m experiencing, because I’m not convinced that they are not the same thing.
I don’t feel inclined to make a commentary or share an opinion with my work because it feels so far beyond what I am doing. I am eating, digesting and shitting everything around me. It’s a very simple translation, much like a game of telephone.
Maybe being an artist is just needing to process things physically. I feel as though I am stuck in a primary state of processing, witnessing the world around me that I see instead of engaging in it, and picking something to do. I know that this doesn’t make sense, as making art is doing something, and I am part of the world, but reflecting on life itself as a way of living is a strange thing that puts you at a distance from everything in it.
You can see more of Celeste’s work at https://celestediazfalzone.com/