We were lucky to catch up with Dulce Maria Diaz recently and have shared our conversation below.
Dulce Maria, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?
As an art director and curator, I’ve only had fun and meaningful projects through my non-profit. Working with artists, creating platforms, hosting television programming and honing graffiti art history; I’d have to say that “Family Resemblance: The Evolution of Chicago-Style Graffiti” exhibit and all accompanying events around it has been most meaningful. I began my non-profit with aim to give light to graffiti writers and help educate the public on the differences between street art and style writing graffiti. I worked with two very respected pioneers, PENGO and TRIXTER; we spent months detailing who would be recognized as pioneers who shaped style writing here in Chicago. Over two years of planning, it was the most significant project I’ve done. We showcased: FESSKI, B-BOY B, WARP, TAKE2, EAST, TRIXTER, PENGO, DRASTIC, SLANG and ORKO. This exhibit took place in 2022, it changed graffiti in Chicago as well as my own career. I still have goals to bring graffiti as a recognized art-form and into more respected institutions. ORKO just passed away last week, the city mourns him, it’s been a hard loss which brings me more drive to make this happen. They deserve it.
Dulce Maria, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
Sure. I was born in Mexico, very spiritual with never ending curiosity to death, life, existence and the story of God; metaphysics and esoteric studies are a part of me. I’ve always made art to heal, drawing and painting, but my curiosity to graffiti started at the early age of about 9. Bright bubble letters on billboards and Mexican murals took my eye. In the south side of Chicago, I grew up with gangs and graffiti writers, we were all children. In poor neighborhoods kids turned into gang bangers and some went into party productions and graffiti practices. All fun escapes. I was involved with the party scene, as just a kid. I also dabbled with graffiti but never enough to consider myself a writer. Still, I saw how it helped and shaped others around me and as we grew older, I always encouraged them to take this practice into something bigger. Many died, went to jail or just grew out of the lifestyle but I remained within its environment and eventually even married one of the older generation writers, EMTE. My older brother, NAGS had been a victim of gang/gun violence just out of high school and he too was a big influence. The older I got, the more I could appreciate it. Underground parties and art jams such as the famous, Meeting of Styles became a little more commercial and street art sorta took over. I saw galleries making big moneys off of these artists who often labeled themselves graffiti artists, it always upset me. Eventually I divorced and had painful bilateral feet surgeries, at which time my ex husband took care of me. Reoccurring dreams at a university took my curiosity and led me to find that the place was an actual university. The university of Chicago had a partnership with the Hyde park art center for a visual arts certification program. I was rejected the four times I applied, they took my money and I never received a certificate but I took all that I learned and started my own non profit, without a brick and mortar, I took the part production concept from my roots and it lives in a website. Without a space, I create space. The message of inspiration is within my actions; I hope to be of great influence.
Do you think there is something that non-creatives might struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can shed some light?
Yes. My support to graffiti artists is one that both creatives and non-creatives have a hard time understanding. Graffiti writers write for themselves and not everyone wants this practice to evolve but too many have already evolved and there’s no sense in pretending it’s not happening. I find it important that pioneers share their own story while still here. Once the stories are understood and education takes place, people can better understand.
Since I’m not a graffiti writer, there’s also some graffiti artists that don’t feel I deserve to be the people in this position. No one is ever going to be everyone’s cup of tea. I understand how beneficial this movement has been to kids and how new it is, if misunderstood it can be misused and abused by culture thieves who don’t understand it. Mentorship is a huge part of growing and becoming better at this very challenging art form; both by skill and reputation.
In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?
In my city, alderman and city officials need to do a lot better at both organizing and funding public art. I’m in Pilsen; widely known for its murals and it’s been a war zone over space for public art. It seems they don’t care and yet it’s the biggest attraction to the heart of the city when it comes to murals. Not just funding but organizing and holding those who are vandalizing mural productions accountable. There’s no accountability which makes me feel they just don’t care.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.dulce37.store/www.sharinghisenergygallery.net
- Instagram: @dulce.37/@s.h.e._gallery