Friends of Eman Show: Andrew Burkholder & Anna Pamasa

Check out my friends Anna Pamasa and Andrew Burkholder's show at the A & D gallery. they are recipients of the Pougialis award 2007. They deserved it. Show support. Buddy System!

Emanuel Aguilar

Friends of Eman Show: Kyle Harter

Support the buddy system.

Emanuel Aguilar

Eman Talks: Reflection on Pougialis

So Pougialis is over, the annual scholarship competition where fine art students are asked to install work of their choice along with a artist statement and await judgment by the fine art faculty to see who falls deserving of a handsome prize scholarship etc. Ok i will say a few things on this mater. I will not mention the winners by name for i feel one of them does enough self promotion and i wouldn't want to add to such. I didn't win , which is fine, i am very ambitious and hard working but i have things going on. I do however feel disappointed i did so much work this semester and fell short in the eyes of the judges. But i feel even worse for my colleagues, they worked so hard and there were so many more deserving individuals then those who won. Columbia is slowly self destructing its fine art program, and the faculty and staff wonder why the A & D department continues to fall more and more every semester. Figure it out A & D department. P.S f0llowing a conservative stale decision making in your support for mediocre work is not going to help bring your program forward. Pay attention to your students, more than the one or two who suck up to you. There is so much thought and talent in this fine art program but none of you are encouraging anything beyond. All is politics and there so i finish with saying , I'm offended.

Here are some pieces i entered in this show. The over all wall looked better. I wanted to share these works with everyone. The first one is Untitled (Native Language) . It is a weaved piece of both the Mayan Creation myth ; Pophul vuh and Native American communication symbols. It is made of latex, mylar, copper and acrylic. It means a lot to me. There is mix feelings about this piece but i ask my audience to always question what everything means to them. What does it mean for me to have hand copied these documents. What does it mean to weave different languages, different communications, and even more so important different cultures? What does it mean to America?

Second is a resin piece dedicated to exploring Elian Gonzalez. Well better ye remembering him. He made such a huge impact on American news, life, media yet it's perceived as a Latino story. It's an American story. And it had much greater impact on Americans than anyone else. Plus i ponder often where is he now and with no question his story affected him the most. I tie this piece to the desaparecidos series. Because in a way we relate to this story as humans and it involves borders and tragedies as well.

The third piece is Untitled ( American Heroes; Clint, Vicente, John........). Here i was interested in exploring the universal image of the T-Shirt across cultural lines and the universal influence of the cowboy in American and Latino identity. The installation came out better than i hoped. It was a beautiful piece that i felt like spoke to the viewer almost poetically floating in the air. I dunno. I liked it.

Well thanks for hearing me rant and all. Hope you guys like the work. To those who won pugialis, prepare for the real world. Chicago lives in a bubble, but its still pretty hostile one at that.

Emanuel Aguilar

Eman Art Talk : The Politics of Aesthetics

Today to start off, was a strange day. But a lot of what i conversed and did today dealt with the question of beauty. Now beauty as we all generally think does not work in universal realms. In particular with art one often finds an approach to artwork as whether its beautiful or not. What we often don't question here is what dictates beauty. If beauty is power in our society, beauty always gets its way, and beauty more than how can beauty not be seen as a political, as a reflection on our ideals and direction as a society and culture.

Of course one can always argue that beauty is beauty and in no way shape or form should beauty be tainted by the questions of elitism and politics. But since were in the topic of art i beg one to ponder, who buys art, who sells art, and who makes art. The big million dollar sales that we hear of in art auctions are not being shared by the artist. The power and benefit there remains within those with power or better yet those with money. But i don't want to make this a question of money versus culture or whatever. My interest here is how beauty is powerful in our world.

I explore aesthetics in my work. And it is true beauty does get the attention and the allure.
Today i delivered a painting from the gallery to a clients house. As i drove up 41 to the north shore i kept glancing at my backseat and wondering why a painting such as the one in my back seat, of birds and spheres and dull in colors, was worth 12,000$.

I never finished this post. I moved on. Plus my Pugialis post above proves my points even more so.

The piece above is entitled Untitled ( Aesthetics) 2007

Eman News: My Job

So im still an emily to Jean Albano Gallery. Jean Albano Gallery has been the gallery i've worked for in the last three years. Im having second thought however on if i would care to remain there. Well see were this goes. I like my job but it is straining on a full time life. Sometimes it's just time to move on. A lot has been happening in my own career this year that the gallery work is becoming almost tough to want to get accomplished. But I have learned a lot from this place. Installation, lighting, i've met so many noted people and ive been able to explore the business side of the art world. A side i fear most artist arent aware for the most part dominates a lot of the art worlds direction and functions. At the end all is business and even artist should take this into consideration. The days of the bohemina lifestyle are gone. Whats an artist to do in the days of Damien Hirst and Matthew Barney. In the days were media sponsors the arts and so forth the arts become media. So many things i think about regarding these issues. But for now ill leave it at this. Anyways enjoy pictures of me and my coworkers at the Jean Albano Gallery.

Pictured are Lindsey Walton and Sarah Kaliski Roll. Theya re my coworkers. The photos are of a recent opening we had. The fact taht the devil is present only make it an intriguing addition take it business is the art of the devil. Anyways it was a fun night.

Chat It Up: Interview with Artist Kyle Harter

So for my first artist interview we checked up on Kyle Harter or as i call him Harter.He's a good friend of mine and fellow Chicago based artist. Kyle's work seems to me always to have this very innocent look at society and culture. Exploring issues with not so much serriousness but all the importance. Its kinda like thinking of things as just are, or why is the the sky blue and not turquoise? Im a big fan of Kyle's and here we discuss his work, his cat and chapstick's relationship to toilet paper.

EMAN:So for the Record wat's your name and title

Kyle Harter:My name is Kyle Harter, and i thought my name WAS my title?

E:Well i suppose it is a title.

KH: Mister Kyle Harter?

E:I like it sounds like a stage name.

KH: Hells yeah, Keep Going.

E:Ok ,so what would you say dominates your work in terms of mediums and practice

KH: I have 70 000 pens.

E: Did you just count those, is that what took so long?

KH: Basically.

E: Well count again maybe you missed one or five.

KH: Well , know im not that exact, Im not really sure where I fit in as far as mediums an practices go. I just do what feels right.

E: Hmm nice, like women?

KH:Except women have boobs.

E: Is that how you go about coming up with your subject matter also.And may i add women do have boobs but so does art sometimes.

KH:I dont remember the last time I drew a boob.
However you are inspiring me as we speak. I like to make things for people.

E: So im like a muse?

KH: Yes you have muse tendencies but then again so does my cat.

E: I can see how that works. I recall once seeing that "I need a soda" piece and all I couldd think was man I really do want a soda also. It spoke to me in a very selfish i want a soda now way. I like that.I like cats.

KH:Hey sometimes you have to treat yourself to a good soda every once in a while, ya know? I don't know, I just feel like the world is filled with things I dont understand. Like ads on the subway, I mean how many adds of the same toilet paper ad do i really need to see?

E: Yeah I know, I did that today actually. it was grape in flavor. Well some are soft and some are rougher, I mean which do you buy ( In terms of toilet Paper)?

KH: That's the kind of thing I don't understand. I just want toilet paper that doesn't make me want to buy chap stick for my butt too.

E:Yeah but then if there wasnt such toilet paper what would the people who make chapstick for your butt sell?It's all a viscous circle.

KH:Maybe they would pick a different profession, like a federal mayonise inspector.

E:Sounds greasy . So could I say in a way you tend to make some sort of observation on society and culture with your work. or is that taking it too far.

KH:That sounds about right.

E: I kinda want chapstick now. However that's what I think of when I see your work ; soda,culture, society ,happy, sad, confusing and toilet paper.

KH:In the famous words of my great great grandfather Jean Monnet, "Everybody is ambitious. The question is whether he is ambitious to be or ambitious to do."

E:Amen.

Chat It Up : Artist Interviews

I'm looking to start adding artist interviews on here to more personally explore what local artist are exploring. So look out for those. First one will probably be up by next week. Peace up .


Emanuel Aguilar

Friends of Eman Show: Nice One

Eman Art Talk: Untitled ( Desaparecidos)

As the day soon nears when i must part with my work Untitled (desaparecidos) i feel i should share some info on them. they are two of many but they are the first two so they are special.

The work are faces of the same person. A woman missing who tried to immigrate to the United States. Her family never heard form her again and information on her disapearance doesnt exist easily on this side of the border. It was hard to find information on anyone missing who has tried to chase that American Dream we all hear about but never truly see.

But first maybe i should explain why it was important for me taht i start exploring these people and commemorate them in some way. See wether we see the issue of immigration as a political issue negatively or possitively whichever way or how, it ios a human reaction we have to the dissapearance of someone. Latino pressence has become so much a part of American identity and as a Latino American myself i feel that this issue of immigration affects me not just as a LAtino but even more so as an American. See the things is theese are people, people who died attempting to attain some sort of dream. The reaction to this isnt political, the issue is political, but we can relate to this kindof tragedy as human. For it is a thing that we can universaly understand that death is human and that this kind of tragedy is real. That this knd of tragedy can be felt and understood on both sides of such abstract border. And so forth thsi is why it is important that i commemorate these people. For they are as much a part of me as an American as tehy are as a Latino because in the end they were Human jsut like you and me.

I hope Columbia treasures these pieces greatly. I will continue making tributes in this way to those who disappear . I do have to receive information from accross the border or so because its hard to attain such information here. But also speaking of materials used. Powdered graphite creates an image but it is hard to hold it dissapaears. Resin captures what it can and freezes it making the work an attempt to capture what will be lost no matter what. A frozen glimpse of a memory.

Thanks C Spaces and Columbia for Honoring me with this recognition of this work.

Emanuel Aguilar

Friends of Eman: Jared Hatch

Show some support for the Rad or aka Jared Hatch and also Arbor Day. Knwoing Jared this should be an event were one can expect almost anything to happen. peace.

-emanuel aguilar

Friends of Eman Show: South Union Arts

A few of my friends including Kyle Harter, Sean Kenan, and Andrew Burkholder or as i call him Bucket holder will be in a show at the south union arts church this Saturday night. Its a big show including over 30 artist. My peeps included are some pretty good artist i can only imagine the good caliber of the show. everyone should check it out its in University Village. Ive included some photos pf some of Kyle Harter's work and Sean Keanan's. I couldn't find any of Andrews. Andrew!!




1352 S. UNION in Chicago
(just 2 blocks south of Roosevelt Rd)
Opening Saturday 12th April.
7PM

Friends of Eman Show: Jessica Castaneda

My friend and fellow artist Jessica Castaneda will have work up at Kristoffer's cafe through out the month of April. Her work surrounds portraiture approached via metal work, drawing, and linoleum print making. The cafe is in Pilsen. Check it out and show some support for my girl Jess.

Kristoffer's Cafe
1733 S. Halsted

Union League Club of Chicago Gives me No Prize

So i had applied for a scholarship award opportunity at the Union League Club of Chicago. I entered some of the same work that i did into the Honors exhibition. However the Honors award, which was judged by some of the leading women in art in Chicago, granted me first place. But the Union League Club informed me today via email that though they see much "merit" in my work they have not chosen me for anything. This is fine you cant win them all. I could have used the money to make more work but it's ok. I had been told that the Union League usually awards more imagery and traditional kinda work which really doesn't fit me. So in that sens i guess thats ok because I'd like to think I'm exploring more contemporary outlets in my issues. But I appreciate the email and the opportunity to compete given to me by of the Union League Club of Chicago. Now ill just have to work even harder. No fuss no muss. or however the saying goes. Next.


Union League Club of Chicago. Union League Club of Chicago. Union league Club of Chicago. Union League Club of Chicago

I took first place at the C Spaces Columbia college Honors Competition. My work is still up at the Hokin Gallery. It will come down i believe within two weeks. If anyone is in the South Loop area they should go check it out. I'm really happy to have won this honor. I'm working really hard on keeping production and concepts running. I'm enjoying my work a lot and I'm really passionate about the issues and explorations I'm following through my work. hope you guys can make it to see the show. Thanks.

Hokin Gallery
623 S. Wabash
my work is in the Hokin gallery annex the gallery to the left of the lobby.

CHICA(CO)GO Art Show

During the month of April i'll be part of a show called Chica(co)go taking place at the Cafe Meztizo in Pilsen. I have two works up, Untitled (Children..) and Untitled (Remembering Elvira Arellano). The show features work by Latino American artist primarily from Columbia College Chicago. If anyone is in the Pilsen area you should go check it out.

Cafe Meztizo
1646 W. 18th st
One block west of Ashland.
Month of April.

Welcome to me Blog

Hello all. So with the creation of my website I'm starting a blog to go with it to keep everyone updated on news and shows and anything going on in my world. Thanks for everyones support.

Eman.

P.S Enjoy Eman Lisa UP there.