Dina Mitrani Gallery is pleased to present Anonymous by Rafael Diaz, a selection of 18 photographs depicting the varied and colorful array of the human form. This exhibition was made possible with the generous support of the Consulate General of El Salvador in Miami and the Robert S. Wennett and Mario Cader-Frech Foundation.

Born in El Salvador, Rafael Diaz currently lives and works in Madrid as an artist and as a physician. The inspiration for this series is the very contemporary concern regarding privacy in today’s technological arena. With Internet browsing history, emails or other activity available to individuals, governments or corporations, Diaz examines this issue from his very personal perspective of one who understands the importance of privacy and confidentiality. His doctor-patient relationships are bound by the 5th Century BCE Hyppocratic Oath, which keeps patient’s personal information secret.

The portraits in this exhibition are examples of a similar confidential relationship, they conceal the identity of each sitter, yet are detailed studies of the human body and its many distinctions. These sitters are people that that artist has come across on his daily encounters on the street, agreeing to be photographed as long as their identities remain hidden. They are actually non-portraits, the faces in the shadows, while light reveals age, race, skin tone, hair color and style. The sitting position is the same for each person, and the artist uses the chiaroscuro technique, much like the Renaissance painters did to define volume and setting. Anonymous contains a social commentary on today’s privacy matters, while it, almost scientifically, presents a comprehensive study of the beauty and variety of the human figure.

Dina Mitrani Gallery opened in November 2008 and specializes in international contemporary photography. The gallery represents emerging and mid-career artists, offers artists talks and lectures on photography as well as photo-objects and books. The gallery is committed to promoting its artists, as well as collaborating with curators, and providing the community with engaging fine art photography.