Meet Diana Guerra | Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Diana Guerra and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Diana, what’s something about your industry that outsiders are probably unaware of?
People usually see an artist’s life as a playground, in the way that they might think our days are full of creative activities, play, and joy. I think this is a myth. A creative life is something that needs to be nurtured, and that is very hard to maintain. Most artists have other jobs that do not imply producing our own work, and that are essential for our financial stability. Under these conditions, having the time and peace of mind to be creative is a radical action that can sometimes feel like swimming upstream. The curious fact is that we love being salmons, and we eventually learn how to live like them.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
My art focuses on memory, identity/presence, and materiality. I use conventional and alternative processes in photography and filmmaking to problematize the assumed unity encapsulated in words like family, origin, and archive. By intentionally using ephemeral media, like organic inks, and incorporating fragmentation in form, I explore temporality and aim to view ourselves as cyclical and multidimensional beings.

My experience as an immigrant in the US influences my work tremendously, as it has become another root in my identity and artistic practice. Since I moved to the US in 2015, I’ve navigated the legal and cultural systems of a new society while building a creative discipline, which has not been easy. For this reason, I’m not surprised that my work also includes a social, and even therapeutic, component. Some of my projects are collaborative or fall into the category of ‘social practice art’, in the sense that people can also become the material of the work alongside objects like photographs or films.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I would start by having an early walk in Bushwick for coffee and then going to my art studio in the neighborhood. My studio is in an old industrial building with a lot of charm (old pipes, clanky freight elevator, big windows). I think making art together would be a fun way to spend time while discovering a side of New York’s lifestyle. We would then go to see art shows in Manhattan. I’ve been wanting to check out the latest Jenny Holzer show at the Guggenheim, but we could visit the Whitney Museum, MoMA, or any of the galleries in Chelsea – they are always inspiring. We would end the night with a cute dinner and drinks in the West Village or in the Lower East Side/Chinatown area.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I’d like to give a shoutout to ‘Somos’, a photo collective I’m part of that supports Latine photographers from diverse social, cultural, and ethnic backgrounds. A group of fellow artists and I established the collective in Brooklyn, NY, in 2023. ‘Somos’ has become a meaningful and supportive space where to connect with other lens-based artists who are immigrants, and first or second-generation folks of the Latin American diaspora. We gather as a community periodically to talk about our projects and our experiences as practicing artists in New York. Now, we are planning our first group exhibition since the collective’s inception, which will take place in October, and we are very excited about it!

Website: https://www.dianaguerra.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_dianahola_/

Image Credits
Deb Leal