Cleve Carney Museum of Art (CCMA), located on the College of DuPage campus (425 Fawell Blvd.), will host an exhibition by Chicago-based artist Alberto Aguilar, "Grid Luck.” As Aguilar has done at institutions such as the Museum of Contemporary Art and the National Museum of Mexican Art, he will utilize tools, furniture, and existing display items readily available at the museum to create site-specific installations. The installations will be accompanied by original photographs, drawings and paintings that use both a formal and conceptual grid in their creation. Opening June 29, the exhibit will coincide with DuPage County’s 2024 public art project, “Olmec Trails: A Culture and Legacy.”
In the upcoming exhibit, Aguilar has created work that explores the grid's role as a generative and expansive tool. Aguilar’s creative practice often incorporates random materials at hand, as well as exchanges with those around him or people that encounter his artwork. His work bridges media from painting and sculpture to video, installation, performance, and sound.
Alberto Aguilar, Signaling (Eames House), 2024, performance still
Drawing inspiration from the College of DuPage Permanent Art Collection, the exhibit will reimagine the materials and spaces within the CCMA, culminating in the creation of new site-specific works.
“Aguilar has the ability to transform moments and interactions from daily life into refreshing out-of-the-box experiences that ask the viewer to readdress how they view their everyday and the world they inhabit.” said Chief Curator at the Cleve Carney Museum of Art, Justin Witte. “We are excited to have him bring his innovative practice to the CCMA.”
Aguilar also called for submissions of photographs from the public for inclusion in the exhibition. The submitted work is to be of photos of all checkered items found in the participant’s home. Submissions were accepted through June 9 and can be shared on the website at theccma.org/grid.
Aguilar has exhibited his work at the National Museum of Mexican Art, Chicago Cultural Center, Museum of Contemporary Art, Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit, and the Art Institute of Chicago. His work is in the collections of the National Museum of Mexican Art, Chicago Cultural Center, and The Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art.
“Grid Luck” is curated by Justin Witte, Chief Curator at the CCMA. The exhibition will be on view June 29 - Oct. 6, 2024. Admission is free. For more information, visit TheCCMA.org.
Nine painted sculptures, part of the “Olmec Trails: Culture and Legacy” will be on view at COD beginning June 1. These are part of 33 hand-painted large-scale renditions of iconic Mesoamerican sculptures displayed throughout DuPage County June - October 2024. “Grid Luck” exhibition visitors are encouraged to explore the COD campus and view the Olmec heads on site, starting with the informative lobby display in the MAC. “Olmec Trails: Culture and Legacy” is presented by the Mexican Cultural Center DuPage in coordination with Meztli Mexico and in partnership with the College of DuPage Public Art Project and the DuPage Convention & Visitors Bureau. For more information, please visit OlmecTrails.org.
Related Events and Programming
The exhibit will be open throughout the “Olmec Family Fiesta Kick-Off Party” at the MAC on June 30 from 2 – 6 p.m. An artist talk and reception will take place Sept. 28 from 6 – 8 p.m.
Hours
CCMA is open Wednesday – Sunday, 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. and through intermission for MAC performance series shows.
About the Cleve Carney Museum of Art
The late Cleve Carney provided a significant legacy gift to establish the Cleve Carney Art Gallery at College of DuPage. The gallery opened in February 2014 with its inaugural exhibition, Selections from Cleve Carney’s Art Collection. In fall 2019, the gallery was expanded to a 2,500 square-foot museum. The Cleve Carney Museum of Art opened June 2021 with the highly anticipated Frida Kahlo: Timeless exhibition. Funding is provided by the Cleve Carney Endowment Fund, which supports vital programming including artist engagement opportunities for community members and students, gallery exhibitions, artist commissions, new acquisitions and other teaching and learning tools that foster cultural enrichment in our community. More information can be found at TheCCMA.org and on social media @CleveCarneyMuseumofArt.