The vibrant arts community of New York is reeling from the sudden and tragic passing of Diana Oh, affectionately known as “Zaza,” a boundary‑defying generative artist, musician, actor, and ritual‑maker. Diana’s death came as a heartbreaking shock to loved ones, collaborators, and countless audience members who found sanctuary, celebration, and healing in their visionary creations. While arrangements are still being finalized, a public memorial is anticipated in the coming weeks to honor their luminous life.
Diana Oh, who used they/them pronouns, was renowned for weaving together performance, music, ritual, and community to create transformative, healing art. They described themselves as “an open channel to the Art that feels good to my body, driven most by pleasure, mutual care, and keeping things heart‑centered”. Their work was a manifesto of electric joy and resilience, especially for queers of color, women, trans, and non‑binary people.
Among Diana’s most noted projects was {my lingerie play}, a series of ten underground installations where they donned lingerie in public spaces to protest violence and reclaim bodily sovereignty—a “glitter bomb of feminist and queer protest” praised by The New York Times. They also conceived the Infinite Love Party, a barefoot potluck, dance party, and sleepover designed as a QTPOC (queer and trans people of color) “wedding for the world,” acclaimed as a NYT Critics’ Pick.
Their CLAIRVOYANCE residency blended tree planting with concerts and installations across prestigious venues like Harvard Yard, the Institute of Contemporary Art, and the American Repertory Theater, positioning eco‑justice alongside queer magic. Meanwhile, The Gift Project honored elders from marginalized communities by transforming their oral histories into original songs, performed live amidst documentary film to uplifting and healing effect.
Diana’s work defied easy categorization. They identified as a generative artist, musician, actor, writer, clairvoyant, ritual‑leader, and “brain‑massage DJ”. They were also recognized with numerous fellowships and awards: a Sundance Institute Fellowship, Van Lier Acting Fellowship, TOW Playwrights’ Fellowship, Refinery29 Top LGBTQ Influencer, Venturous Capital grant, and Helen Merrill and Steinberg Playwriting Awards. The New York Times praised their style as “messy‑beautiful,” a blend of compassion, defiance, practicality, and “joyous freedom to be yourself, whatever pronouns you use”.
Friends and collaborators remember Diana as a radical creative force who championed authenticity, pleasure, and mutual care. They built vibrant spaces for connection and radical healing—whether the Magnetic Dope North Star workshop, public installations, or intimate performances. Their impact was felt in underground venues, mainstream theaters, universities, and on stages from SXSW to the White House.
Diana Oh’s passing leaves a profound void among family, friends, and the wider arts community. They are remembered not only for their bold, transgressive art, but also for hosting soul‑nourishing ceremonies of joy, resistance, and care. In this moment of collective grief, the best tribute is to carry forward their ethos: build radical spaces, center joy and healing, and honor every person’s dignity and magic.
