Tracking back...Interview

A good bit ago I gave an interview to Elizabeth Burk-Dain in correspondence to the Respiratory Health Association Smoking Ban sculpture Phoenix. I wanted to link everyone to that interview on Elizabeths blog. It's a bit late but I had a great conversation with her on lot subjects beyond that of the sculpture and into many aspects of conetmporary art practice. Please visit the link and check it out.

Interview With Elizabeth Burk-Dain

Emanuel Aguilar

Ashes to Ashes Dust to Dust

Here is a sneak peek preview of Mr. Vinny and Mr. Ericdaniel and my sculpture going in the Thompson center lobby within the next few weeks. It was constructed using collected ashtrays from bars after the smoking ban went into play a year ago. It's a celebration of the one year anniversary commissioned by the Respitory Health Association of Chicago.

Emanuel Aguilar

Sharing a Message Against H8

Dear Friends, my good friend Kyle Francis Harter is involved in a film entitled Fish Out of Water. It is a film exploring the issue of church and homosexuality. He has asked me to share the following message with my friends. I have attached clips of the film as well. Thank you for your attention. Hope everyone is well.

Dear LGBTQI friends and allies,



We need your help to separate Church and H8!

With the defeat of Proposition 8 in California and other anti-marriage bans enacted in 30 other states, it is up to fair-minded individuals to stop the Religious Right's crusade of hate. We ask you to join us in fighting the cultural war waged on our families, communities, and hearts.



Our message is simple: Stop H8, Donate $8!



We need 8,000 people to donate $8 to our "Stop H8, Donate 8!" campaign before the National Defense of Marriage Act protest rallies on January 10th.



After donating, please pass this message along to of your friends, coworkers, family and acquaintances. A movement starts with a single step!



You can donate $8 to stop H8 by visiting this link: www.fishoutofwaterfilm.com



All money raised will go to the swift completion and release of our feature film, Fish out of Water, a documentary that tackles the seven Bible verses used to condemn homosexuality and justify marriage discrimination. By using animation to make these dusty and vague verses accessible, Fish out of Water is a necessary ally in helping the LGBTQI community wage their battle for marriage equality.



We plan to bring the film to school yards, doorsteps and street corners everywhere from Appalachia and the Bible belt to the Wild West and Midwest on our 2009 Pink Van Tour. During this nationwide campaign we will screen the film, and distribute accompanying educational materials.



Please join the fight for marriage equality and Stop H8, Donate $8 by visiting: www.fishoutofwaterfilm.com and clicking on the "donate" link.



We also ask you to join us on Saturday, January 10th for the next National Defense of Marriage Act protest rally in your local city. To keep informed on all the latest developments, join our blog: http://fishoutofwaterblog.blogspot.com/.



Thank you for your tireless support, courageous minds and eager hearts. In this crucial time in history in the fight for equal rights, it's not a matter of ability, but action. YES WE WILL change the course of history. YES WE WILL accomplish it together.



With love and gratitude,





Yellow Wing Productions Team



Ky Dickens

Kristen Kaza

Fawzia Mirza

Ryan Endress

Katy Haggis

Mo Rodriguez

C.J. Arellano

Kyle Harter

Alan Saunders






*For more information, visit www.fishoutofwaterfilm.com, or write to info@fishoutofwaterfilm.com

Everyone...

......Should come and participate in this great event. Bear necessities is an event in which we will get the chance to make some art with kids with cancer. The work will be then sold in order to raise funds for research, treatment and simply aid in the fight against cancer. We will be at Columbia College Chicago, 623 S. Wabash, 10am - 3pm on the 10th floor. Whom ever has some free time should come and participate and help do something good with your weekend. I know its Saturday but you have many more Saturdays to waste on partying, do something productive for once and join me to make some great art and raise some money for some great kids.

Emanuel Aguilar

I would like to anounce...

......that big things are coming. The meeting held today is a stepping stone way into the future. Stay tuned.


Emanuel Aguilar

Amanda Ferris McKenzie Essay for Untitled Happy American Child

Here is Amanda Ferris McKenzies essay. She is one person who knows me very well so I found it intriguing to see how she would speak of my work coming from such position. Along with Ms. Hodes these two ladies did a wonderful job at these essays and I am for ever honored!

Emanuel Aguilar gives an eclectic view of the American Dream with his most recent collection of work. An exploration of images and meaning in different styles, mediums and ideals. Repetition is a main focus in Aguilar's works, similar to Andy Warhol, with some images fading while other burst with force giving the audience an opportunity to explore the differences within each piece. Taking these images into account the viewer is able to compare and contrast them while interpreting the meanings and adding their own cultural references to the work. Reflective surfaces are critical to the understanding and examination of several works, where the viewer can become a part of the work and expand his/her about the American Dream and it's importance.

Cultural identity is the theme of Aguilar's work. His exploration of his Latin American roots mix with the urban Chicago setting where he was raised that brings his identity to a crossroads. What does being American truly mean to the older generations? Does the idea of the "American Dream" mentality still exist among younger generations? These are questions that are consistently raised by Aguilar's work and although he does not give the viewer any answers, he reinforces the concept. The United States has very few traditions of it's own and because of this we as a nation tend to piggy back on other cultures and their traditions. trying to connect with our ancestral cultures while at the same time applying them to modern life is creating a new cultural fusion that determines our American identity. Far from home our souls are searching for meaning in a land of commercial traditions and cultures, ridding on the backs of immigrants with thousands of years of traditions and self awareness.

Above is a picture of Ms. Amanda Ferris McKenzie.

Emanuel Aguilar

Thanks Thanks and more Thanks

I would like to thank everyone who came to my show two weeks ago at the Jared Hatch Studio. You guys made my first solo so special for me. It was a great turn out and I'm happy a lot of people enjoyed my work.

The show closed tonight and I took everything down to night.

I felt the work looked beautiful in Jared's space. The simplicity of the installation was something that I had always envisioned when creating my work. I find so much allure in minimizing the conversation, by making the viewers mind speak louder than whatever my work is presenting as thought material.

I've attached some photos from the show,. unfortunately I didn't have my camera at the opening so I missed out on pictures of the huge crowd that came to support me. I have more photos of the work coming up but for now I would like to share with everyone a few pictures I took prior to de installation's of the work.

Thanks again to everyone who came. You have no idea how much that meant to me, really.

Emanuel Aguilar.

Been A Long .......

So it's been a while since I've updated and I know that for the most part I have been pretty distant in terms of social and communication aspects.

Life has been though the last two weeks, I been in the hospital due to a severe allergic incident, I've had bad news regarding some of my closest friends, and I've just been completly bombarded with my jobs and work and shows and everything going on. I cant keep up it seems. But I'm hanging in there.

Theres some new news and events going on and I''ll elaborate on those further via following posts.

Hope everyone is doing well.

I've added my favorite piece by my muse Felix Gonzalez Torrez called perfect lovers above. The piece speaks of a moment of sync, of perfection of being in a perfect rhythm with someone with something with life. But how so everything is temporary and eventually time changes everything and nothing is forever. I guess its beautiful also to me in its simplicity and direct application to the battery powered life in the clocks telling time in sync. Eventually one slows down or dies out, but for one moment they were the same.

Emanuel Aguilar

SOLVE Tribute Show

I had recently posted regarding a tragic incident in Logan Square resulting in the far too premature death of a young artist named Brendan Scanlon who went by t he street art name SOLVE. This Friday the 1st of August there will be held a tribute show in response to Brendan's life, influence, and art at the OhNO!Doom Gallery in Logan Square. His closest friends whom some are very dear friends of mine are doing a great thing here in showing a honorable and reverse sense of community in contrast to the insipid incident that took this artist's life. Come support and get to know who SOLVE was and who his friends and family are. Ill be there and hope to see many of you there.Also 50% percent of the profits will be donated to a charity funding a art program in Scanlon's hometown.

OhNo!Doom
2955 W. Lyndale
Friday August 1st.
7pm-10pm

Emanuel Aguilar

Hello , Been So Long Keeping Strong

I have been a little out of the scene for the alst few days. I been basically non stop working every day, it's been good but I'm looking forward to the break this weekend to get some things done and ready. So this is why I have been hard to reach, just really busy, but I wanted to tell everyone that came to my show how much it meant to me that you'll came out to support. The show was great ,so many people came I lost count and running up and down the stairs to open the door was good exercise, ha.

I know there was some mix ups with people who came to the Thomas Masters Gallery instead of the Jared Hatch studio, if anyone went in there then you probably noticed that wasn't my work , ha. However I think there is a closing reception in works for my show the 7th, in case theres anyone who missed it who wishes to come see it.

It's been a tough summer thus far. enjoying new jobs, trying to figure out how to move on from old ones. Recently I have been also helping an artist by the name of Margarette Wharton at her studio. She is a wonderful woman with some great work in her past(including a solo at the MCA). She gave me a ton of books the other day and if you all know me, books a re like currency to me. I love books. Well you guys should Google her and check her out, she does some crazy stuff and thats in a good way. I attached a photo of one of her pieces.

So dear friends if I been hard to reach my apologies, I been really busy, but like always we hope for better days ahead that make it all worth it.

Emanuel Aguilar

Show Card!!

Here's the card I made for my upcoming show at the Jared Hatch Studio. The scanned reproduction doesn't do the card justice, for those of you that have gotten an actual card you know well that its like a little mirror in your pocket. the actual surface od the front of the card is as reflective as a mirror. Oh well I'm still pretty down with the way the card came out. Thanks to miss French fro helping me make it!!!!


Emanuel Aguilar

Eman Is Having A Solo Show!!!!!!!!!!

So my good friend Jared Hatch has offered me a solo show at his studio in Old Town. the show is called Untitled(Happy American Child) and will feature a good amount of recent and new work of mine. I'm really excited about this s how. The space is a great space and itll play well with the installation of some of my work. I'm exited because I get the chance to play with installation and such with placement. I am having two essay written for the show by Art Historians Amanda Ferris McKenzie and Alyssa Hodes. There very intelligent girls and I find their approach to my work to be intriguing because not only do they know me personally but also have very complicated and diverse opinions about the subject matter in my work.

Along with the essays I have been getting a lot of support and help from friends in getting the show together . I want to say thank you to Mr. Jared Hatch of course for the opportunity to show at his space, Laura French for her help with my invitational cards, Kyle Francis Harter for counseling me via internet on my stresses, and of course Amanda Ferris McKenzie and Alyssa Hodes for their contributions.


The Show will be on:
July 24th, Thursday
245 W. North
Suite 201
6.30 - 10

At The Jared Hatch Studio

The show will be available by appointment through the 7th August.
Appointments can be made at : Studio@JaredHatch.com


I'm really exited about this one. Emanuel Aguilar

Chicago Art Open Picks Eman!!!!!!!!!!

So I got an email a couple of weeks ago informing me that I'm in some show at the Merchandise Mart called the Chicago Art open in October. Maybe September, sucks I cant remember, I'll have to check on that and update on it a bit later. But its basically a show of over 200 Chicago based artist and its a charity event so anything sold 40% goes to charity. I'm very honored to be in this. I want to thank Adam Brooks for putting me up for this. I posted a picture of the piece they chose to be in the show. Its one of my works on paper. Hopefully once the show goes up at the Mart everyone can go by and check it out. A few of my friends are also in this show. Theodore Boggs and Erick Siegel, my homies. The name of the piece is Untitled , of coarse, (children and...). It's simply a mix media painting I did one day when I was reading articles of how children were being left in difficult situations when they were American citizens and their parents were immigrants and in danger of being deported. Must be though, sucks that kids have to go through stuff like that. Just like Elian in a way. Ok so enjoy the pic. Talk to everyone soon.

Emanuel Aguilar

Remembering Elian

So Elian Gonzalez has been in the news recently again. Remember Elian Gonzalez , he was the little boy who was in a boating accident which he survived but his mother did not, and then there was that hole debate regarding keeping him in the country o sending him back to Cuba. Well he got back sent to Cuba and has been there since, now 14, hes making headlines in the USA again. First I have a fascination with Elian's story in the fact that it is a perfect example on how multicultural issues affect us as Americans greatly and more so than we take into consideration. I mean Elian Gonzalez story is as American as OJ Simpson's trial, Brangelina, or even dare I say Tabasco. These things influence our culture and we never really stop to think how something of a multicultural theme , influence, makes such a big impact on our American culture.

So now 14 Elian has joined the Cuban Youth of Communist League and has vowed to never let down the Castro boys. Well I really don't know what to say about that too much. I mean I'm sure Elian holds a pretty big opinion on the US, I mean just look at the picture above were hes having a screaming contest with the guy with the gun pointed at him. Also there is talk over how Obama's campaign could be influenced in Florida by Cubans regarding the fact that two advisers of Obama were involved in the whole s ending Elian back to Cuba deal. Thats not that plausible of a argument in my opinion. I mean almost everyone has been involved in some sort of rejection, and in our society we applaud those with power to reject not those who get rejected. I'm going on and on now so I say check out some of my favorite photos of Elian above and my work called Untitled (Remembering Elian) 2008. It's Cast Resin with powdered Graphite and Gold Dust. Inspired by the one and only Elian Gonzalez and his influence on our passive intake of multicultural material within our America. Also the second photo is eEian now 14 at the Communist Youth conference.

Emanuel Aguilar.

Eman Gets Hired!!!!Two new Jobs but sadly still at the third Emily Position

So I should share that as off last week and this week I am working with the A & D Gallery in the South Loop and Woman Made Gallery in West Town. They both are some really great spaces showing some great artist. The next show at A & D is Busted Amp opening the 26th at 4pm. Everyone should come check it out. Also a great thing is that both spaces are non for profit which gives me a big change in environment . It's good to be getting some new experience. So if you stroll by these places come in and say hi, and support the spaces themselves by coming out to check out their shows. Thank you very much to Juliana Cuevas, Jennifer Murray, and Beate C. Minkovski for giving me the great opportunity to work with them.

Woman Made Gallery Site


A & D Gallery Site



Emanuel Aguilar

R.I.P Robert Rauschenberg

May you rest in peace Mr. Rauschenberg. For those who haven't heard Robert Rauschenberg has passed away this week. He made large contributions to modern day art practice and more so modern day art school practice. I've never been too fond of the work t he original master of the everything look did, but I can appreciate and consider it. I actually enjoyed some of his screen print paintings. I've attached some of the work I liked most of his. It's always strange when a famous artist passes, I always feel like sometimes a lot of people who aren't in art school or in the art world assume many artist are dead already if their work is in museums. I'm just ranting at this point. May he rest in peace and may his work always be remembered. Lets just hope the everything look stays in garage sales and not in art work.

R.I.P sir Rauschenberg.

Emanuel Aguilar

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.