Federico Díaz’s works in public spaces reflect a unique engagement with both natural and urban environments, pushing the boundaries of how we perceive and experience public art. His sculptures go beyond mere aesthetic enhancements of their surroundings, introducing dynamic, interactive elements that respond to natural forces and human presence, turning the spaces they inhabit into ever-evolving environments. Díaz’s practice in public art is a conversation between architecture, nature, and technology, challenging the conventional static nature of public sculpture and emphasizing a transformative potential.
The timeline of Díaz’s public space projects begins with Binary Star (2001-2003), a tribute to the astronomer Zdeněk Kopal, located in Litomyšl. The sculpture captures the concept of binary stars exchanging energy, embodying an ongoing cosmic process. This connection between scientific concepts and tangible forms marks an early exploration of the relationship between unseen forces and visible structures, a theme that Díaz continues to develop.
Later, in 18.7. (2011), Díaz tackles the theme of spirituality and personal connection in a sacred space. His minimalist intervention outside the Moravian Brethren Chapel combines mathematical precision with a deeply personal reference—the sculpture’s dimensions echo the date of the artist’s birth. In this work, Díaz merges abstract geometry with intimate meaning, turning a public installation into a personal statement that reaches for the sky.
In Subtile (2013-2018), one of Díaz’s most versatile public projects, the interplay between natural forces and human intervention comes to the forefront. The sculpture, located along the Sacramento River, mimics the local vegetation and shifts with the wind, creating an ever-changing reflection of its surroundings. This work introduces Díaz’s exploration of reflective surfaces and kinetic elements, emphasizing the fluid boundary between nature and artificial structures.
Díaz’s EG: Heraldic (2015-2020) further explores the invisible forces at play in public spaces. Commissioned for an underground tunnel in Prague, the monumental sculpture reflects the gravitational pull on a large ventilation shaft. Created through algorithmic processes, Heraldic brings natural laws like gravity into visible, touchable form, connecting the mundane realities of infrastructure with the elegance of mathematical patterns.
Finally, Aerial (2018-2021), set in Prague’s Bořislavka district, combines natural and historical references. Its form, resembling petrified trees or rock formations, reflects ancient trade routes that passed through the area. The sculpture blurs the lines between natural history and human intervention, while its augmented reality component adds an extra layer of interaction, deepening the viewer’s engagement with both the artwork and its environment.
Across these works, Díaz consistently blurs the lines between the artificial and the organic, creating public sculptures that are not only site-specific but deeply responsive to their environments. Through these projects, he expands the role of public art from static object to dynamic participant, engaging viewers in an ongoing interaction with the spaces they inhabit.