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While calling Rubén Aguirre a mere graffiti artist might be an oversimplification, it is indeed where his artistic journey began. Now recognized for his expansive abstract murals, Aguirre's new exhibition at the National Museum of Mexican Art in Chicago, running through July 24th, reveals his growth beyond those roots.
Aguirre first discovered graffiti in high school during the mid-'90s and quickly embraced the art form. "I really latched on to it—that activity, that sport," he shared in a recent phone interview from his home in Chicago, located within walking distance from the museum. "Graffiti played a big part in my art making because it was accessible to me—I could learn and participate very quickly."
However, as Aguirre approached his late 20s, he felt constrained by the traditional graffiti format. "I felt like I had done everything I could possibly think of with that traditional format," he recalled. This realization pushed him towards a more experimental approach. He began abstracting graffiti forms by painting large walls in Chicago and omitting text, an endeavor that received positive feedback and set him on a new path.
Now in his 40s, Aguirre has transitioned into a more traditional phase with a focused studio practice. The works displayed at the National Museum of Mexican Art illustrate this evolution—carefully constructed, abstracted landscapes where natural woodgrain peaks through. Despite the controlled forms, the dynamic movement from his earlier works remains evident.
"I'm not particularly pursuing the route of an academic artist trying to show in institutions," Aguirre stated, "but I'm honored to be acknowledged in this way." His work has been compared to the legacy of Minimalist art by Dan Ramirez, an artist and the exhibition’s curator. "It’s very abstract, very lyrical, just formally incredibly beautiful," Ramirez noted.
Ramirez also highlighted an interesting shift in Mexican and Mexican American mural making through Aguirre’s work. "I grew up in the Latino areas of Chicago, so many of the murals I knew were politically oriented," Ramirez explained. "Ruben’s aren’t." Instead, Aguirre’s murals offer an opportunity for viewers to experience something different and unique.
The admiration between Aguirre and Ramirez is mutual. Aguirre first encountered Ramirez’s work at the National Museum of Mexican Art, and Ramirez’s art has since been a touchstone for him. Their professional relationship blossomed through the museum's chief curator, Cesáreo Moreno, eventually leading to Aguirre's current exhibition curated by Ramirez. "I’ve been looking at that space for a long, long time—it almost feels like home," Aguirre said.
Though the pandemic initially paused the exhibition's planning, it also spurred Aguirre to find new ways of creating. He took a break from art-making when the pandemic began but resumed with a new approach inspired by nature. Hiking in Cook County's forest preserves became a major influence, shaping the next phase of his artwork. "Connecting with nature, the body, and the Earth as one: this theme of connectedness became the focal point of my paintings," he explained.
Additionally, Aguirre adapted his studio practice to involve more planning of his canvases rather than a freeform approach. Yet, his art remains rooted in graffiti. "Generally my forms come from alphabet abstraction forms," he said. "They start as text, get abstracted into graffiti, and then those forms are deconstructed into what I use now. Using that language that I already have, I construct what I see."
