Mark Alcazar Diaz
Silt
Video, color, stereo
91 minutes
2024
This video documents basketball courts scattered throughout the diverse landscapes of the Philippines. The courts depicted in the documentary serve as more than just playing grounds for the game itself; they are versatile and adaptive spaces for other sports activities and communal gatherings. The video also bears witness to the ravages of time and natural disasters. While some courts gleam with fresh paint, others bear the scars of years of use and the battering of nature's fury.
Mark Alcazar Diaz, born in Manila and lives and works in Chicago, Illinois, is an artist, educator, and arts administrator. He works in a variety of media, including video, drawing, and object making, to examine issues around migration, memory of place, and natureculture. As an extension of his artistic practice, Diaz has facilitated youth art collaborations through several community arts organizations in Chicago. He also develops and leads interactive workshops for teachers and artists to form dynamic collaborations to explore the intersection of aesthetics and pedagogy. He received a Master of Fine Arts from the University of Illinois Chicago. For more information and work, please visit markalcazardiaz.com. Also recommended: Seam.
This work is shared by Roman Susan as a part of Evergreen at 4750 N Sheridan Road, Chicago IL.