Hamilton Aguiar is a Brazilian artist who immigrated to the United
States in the late '80s. Sitting down at the E.S. Lawrence Gallery
about a month ago with him, one can tell he's held onto those roots but
embraced his New York and Hamptons influences.
As he casually sat back on the leather couch in the side gallery, he
talked about his work - iconic silver leaves on oil canvases - and then
pulled out his iPhone to show images from his new sculpture series. The
installations are a set of panels in mixed media depicting his leaves
and in-air butterflies. He only showed two of the complete set, which
should have several panels when it's done, ranging in size from 1 foot
wide to 5 feet wide. In total, the series will be about 36 feet long
and 8 feet high, as it wraps around in a curvacious line.
The panels are lined with film edges, to look like 35 mm print. This,
Aguiar says, is a nod to what's soon becoming a lost, or slipping, art
in a digital age. On aluminum, the oil paintings have the transluscent
effect of a film negative: "a classic medium," says Aguiar.
"Film is classic and it reminds me of old time," he says. "It's romantic."
Before Aguiar discovered his penchant for layered silver on top of
oil-painted wood panels and canvas, he went through the painting of
sailboats, flowers and landscapes. Out on Long Island one day, he saw a
single tree illuminated on the horizon, and says he got goosebumps. At
that time, he was part of an artists' cooperative with 20 other people.
"So I went back to the studio and painted this silver leaf. Everyone
around me looked at it and said 'you found it,' and I haven't stopped
painting it since," he says.
But, what he has done is to find ways to grow with his art, like the
installation exhibit. Already well recognized, with showings in places
such as Boston, Park City, Utah, Whistler, B.C., Palm Beach, Fla., and
in Germany, architects have now approached Aguiar for larger
commissions.
"I want people to look at my pieces, and be very tranquil and very simple and find it peaceful and unique," he says.
This is his fourth show at the gallery in Aspen, after his first in
2004. Here, he's developed a following and clientel base, and says each
visit is more of a homecoming.
And, after recent years, he comes back with more depth and form to his
work, expanding on an already promising and respected foundation.
"I don't sketch, I just go," he says.
Just going seems to be working, as he returns this weekend to Aspen
with a new collection, including an 8 foot sculpture of his stainless
steel tree.
christine@aspendailynews.com
