Based in New York, Alejandro Diaz was born and raised in San Antonio, TX., and lived in Mexico City for several years. Diaz developed a unique and pertinent body of work exemplifying the complex and visually rich cultural milieu particular to Mexico and South Texas. The artist states, “All that culture of making do and being resourceful, Rasquachismo aesthetic, with materials had a huge influence on me.” In his painting Xochimilco, Diaz combines two influences, abstract expressionism and found objects, and the title is after a borough just south of Mexico City known for its canals. The waterways are small remnants from what was once an extensive lake and canal system built by the Aztecs that connected most of the settlements of the Valley of Mexico.

"The next artwork, Xochimilco, also explores identity and place. Xochimilco is one of San Antonio-native Alejandro Diaz’s object paintings. Diaz’s acrylic strokes play with abstraction and reality, suggesting connections in nature through webs. He also imbues elements of the everyday through buttons that he scatters throughout the canvas. In their press release, Ruiz-Healy Art states that with this exhibition, they invite the audience to “consider their relationship with the planet and forge a deeper connection.” I resonated with this call to action when viewing Xochimilco. The artwork evokes nostalgia; it takes me back to my grandmothers’ South Texas homes — inside their homes, you can find multicolored trinkets, like buttons, inside of old jewelry boxes. Both of their homes are surrounded by humid air and resilient plants that thrive in harsh Texas weather." Glasstire writer, Christopher Karr