MIAMI-RAISED CURATOR JOSÉ CARLOS DÍAZ STEPS INTO HIS NEW ROLE AT PÉREZ ART MUSEUM MIAMI WITH A GLOBAL EYE AND A DEEPLY PERSONAL APPROACH TO ART.
Curating is an act of translation. Between artist and audience, object and idea, the curator shapes how we see and feel. Museums, at their best, are mirrors of the moment — reflections of a city’s values, curiosities, and contradictions. At Pérez Art Museum Miami, that mirror has a new keeper: José Carlos Díaz, the museum’s new senior director of curatorial affairs and chief curator.
For Díaz, who grew up in Miami, returning to PAMM feels like both a homecoming and a continuation. “This city shaped my worldview,” he said. “Miami has always been a crossroads, and PAMM sits right at the heart of that conversation.”
That conversation has always mattered to him. His career — from the Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh to the Seattle Art Museum — has revolved around creating dialogues between the familiar and the unexpected. In Seattle, he oversaw major exhibitions like Calder: In Motion and Anila Quayyum Agha: Geometry of Light, while in Pittsburgh, he reimagined Warhol’s legacy through projects that examined politics, pop culture, and identity.
“Curating goes beyond selecting works — you have to listen,” Díaz said. “Every piece tells a story, and every visitor brings one too. If someone leaves a show feeling more connected to the world, then we’ve done something meaningful.”
At PAMM, Díaz’s curatorial approach is both global and personal. His vision leans toward accessibility — not just in terms of entry, but in understanding. “My goal has always been to make art accessible,” he said. “That means creating space where people see themselves reflected in the work.”
He intends to spotlight artists from Latin America and the Caribbean, while continuing PAMM’s commitment to elevating voices rooted in Miami. “We’re in a city that speaks many languages,” he said. “The museum should reflect that diversity in every exhibition, every program, every partnership.”
His approach is less about spectacle than substance. The rhythm of his curatorial philosophy comes from empathy — a desire to connect rather than impose. “Art doesn’t exist in isolation,” he said. “The most powerful exhibitions start with dialogue.”
That belief in dialogue also extends to the institution itself. Díaz sees PAMM as more than a museum — it’s a living archive of what Miami is becoming. The city’s growth, energy, and mix of cultures have turned it into one of the most dynamic centers for contemporary art in the country, and Díaz wants PAMM to reflect that evolution. “This museum is a gathering place,” he said. “It’s where art meets everyday life.”
Colleagues describe Díaz as precise yet open, a curator who balances scholarship with intuition. His exhibitions often merge art history with social consciousness, a balance that mirrors the city he now represents. For Miami, his leadership marks an evolution — one that honors its roots while embracing what’s next.
On a recent afternoon, sunlight drifted through the museum’s hanging gardens and across the bay. Standing inside the galleries he once visited as a young intern, Díaz considered what it means to be back. “I’ve worked in cities around the world, but Miami always stayed with me,” he said. “This place helped me see that art isn’t a luxury — it’s a way of understanding who we are.”
Pamm.org
Curating is an act of translation. Between artist and audience, object and idea, the curator shapes how we see and feel. Museums, at their best, are mirrors of the moment — reflections of a city’s values, curiosities, and contradictions. At Pérez Art Museum Miami, that mirror has a new keeper: José Carlos Díaz, the museum’s new senior director of curatorial affairs and chief curator.
For Díaz, who grew up in Miami, returning to PAMM feels like both a homecoming and a continuation. “This city shaped my worldview,” he said. “Miami has always been a crossroads, and PAMM sits right at the heart of that conversation.”
That conversation has always mattered to him. His career — from the Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh to the Seattle Art Museum — has revolved around creating dialogues between the familiar and the unexpected. In Seattle, he oversaw major exhibitions like Calder: In Motion and Anila Quayyum Agha: Geometry of Light, while in Pittsburgh, he reimagined Warhol’s legacy through projects that examined politics, pop culture, and identity.
“Curating goes beyond selecting works — you have to listen,” Díaz said. “Every piece tells a story, and every visitor brings one too. If someone leaves a show feeling more connected to the world, then we’ve done something meaningful.”
At PAMM, Díaz’s curatorial approach is both global and personal. His vision leans toward accessibility — not just in terms of entry, but in understanding. “My goal has always been to make art accessible,” he said. “That means creating space where people see themselves reflected in the work.”
He intends to spotlight artists from Latin America and the Caribbean, while continuing PAMM’s commitment to elevating voices rooted in Miami. “We’re in a city that speaks many languages,” he said. “The museum should reflect that diversity in every exhibition, every program, every partnership.”
His approach is less about spectacle than substance. The rhythm of his curatorial philosophy comes from empathy — a desire to connect rather than impose. “Art doesn’t exist in isolation,” he said. “The most powerful exhibitions start with dialogue.”
That belief in dialogue also extends to the institution itself. Díaz sees PAMM as more than a museum — it’s a living archive of what Miami is becoming. The city’s growth, energy, and mix of cultures have turned it into one of the most dynamic centers for contemporary art in the country, and Díaz wants PAMM to reflect that evolution. “This museum is a gathering place,” he said. “It’s where art meets everyday life.”
Colleagues describe Díaz as precise yet open, a curator who balances scholarship with intuition. His exhibitions often merge art history with social consciousness, a balance that mirrors the city he now represents. For Miami, his leadership marks an evolution — one that honors its roots while embracing what’s next.
On a recent afternoon, sunlight drifted through the museum’s hanging gardens and across the bay. Standing inside the galleries he once visited as a young intern, Díaz considered what it means to be back. “I’ve worked in cities around the world, but Miami always stayed with me,” he said. “This place helped me see that art isn’t a luxury — it’s a way of understanding who we are.”
