Artist Statement
There’s something extraordinary in the ability to tell a story through a photograph and leave the viewer in deep thought. Inasmuch as a book is discussed/pondered upon by its reader, so should art be.
I decided to be an artist that produces work to start conversations, often ones that are typically hard to talk about, like race. The beauty, and symbolism used within my work are a segue for these necessary discussions to take place.
About Diaja
Constantly driven by the arts Ceres, artistically known as Diaja, pursued her passion at the Fashion Institute of Technology, where she began her studies to prepare for the fashion industry. In addition to fashion, Diaja had an equal love for photography, so she took a course to sharpen her natural skills and educate herself on various photographic techniques.
During her education, she was inspired and nurtured by mentor Norma Kamali, (F.I.T graduate, and designer featured on the Fashion Walk of Fame​). Diaja later graduated with an Associate degree in Patternmaking and received her Bachelor of Science degree in Production Management. With valuable information learned, and hands-on experience from internships at Sean John, Norma Kamali, and Poppington Gallery with her cousin Damon Dash, Diaja was equipped with the necessary tools to be an entrepreneur in the arts.
With the help of her parents, (who are both entrepreneurs), they made her dream a reality by co-founding DIAJA, (pronounced Dee-A-Jah), a line featuring quality handbags, and fine apparel. Diaja went on to produce numerous collections which opened doors for her designs to be featured with prominent brands and magazines.
Years later, while revamping her brand, Diaja decided to fully dedicate herself to photography. She merged her love for fashion, painting, and photography to create a brand that would be impossible to ignore. Within 2 years of revamping, her work was recognized by Vogue Italia, Huffington Post, and numerous Fashion publications.
Diaja's photography is known for storytelling through various photographic series. These series' are often inspired by nature, current events, Black/African culture, and social disparities. Her goal as an artist is to impact others, give back to her community, and give a voice to those that are overlooked. She prides herself in not only creating appealing imagery, but thought-provoking work that may not be as comfortable to view. Diaja's desire is that her body of work will be remembered and noted among other great artists of all time.