I wanted to share with everyone the essays that were written for my show Untitled Happy American Child. They were great essays written by some very respected art historian friends of mine. Here is Alyssa Hode's essay in which I'm compared to Switzerland! Enjoy!
Emanuel Aguilar’s work occupies the space between the viewer’s expectations of familiarity and the artist’s actual relationship with his subject matter. Aguilar demonstrates a dubious relationship between artist and subject. He embraces the tropes of Mexican- American culture with an unfamiliar familiarity. He explores what it means to be an outsider within his own culture, at the same time showing ways that Latin American culture has woven itself into mainstream American society. Ultimately Aguilar places himself in the position of both outsider and insider, demonstrating how multiculturalism gives the individual’s cultural alliances a fluidity rather than ambiguity. This work connects with both Americans and Latin Americans. Sometimes the works bring together, divide or just raise questions, but it is undeniable that the work takes both sides into account. When asked for his opinion, Aguilar retains Switzerland-like neutrality, making the meaning of his work viewer derived rather than artist driven.
Above is a picture of Ms. Hodes looking all academic and all that . Emanuel Aguilar
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