MICHAEL GARGUILO
About the Artist
Born in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, Michael Anthony Garguilo is a painter and printmaker who received his MFA from Boston University and his BFA from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, TX. He has received honors and awards for his work and has been included in several juried exhibitions nationally. He is currently teaching at Saginaw Valley State University and Oakland University. Since arriving in Michigan in 2011 he has maintained an active studio practice, most recently exhibiting his work in Boston, Michigan, Louisiana and Texas.
In addition to this work, Garguilo has also been a longtime instructor at the Ann Arbor Art Center teaching a range of classes in drawing and painting.
Artist Statement
Throughout history, humankind has buried the dead beneath mounds of earth creating memorials to their ancestors. Buried beneath and within mounds one finds the discarded mementos of our everyday experience. In this body of work, I am considering the weight of these collective contributions buried by modern man as they grow into new and mysterious forms and icons of modernity.
Throughout this body of work, I am interested in the interplay of material and content. There is a direct relationship between my memories of compacted trash and the use of palette knife and glass to drag paint across a surface. While this can create a vibrant blending of colors in the case of Mound XL, it also has the potential for creating a sludge in the case of Mound XLII. This sludge is not unlike that found in the back of a garbage truck I rode in as a child with my uncle. Memory and process become one within this body of work.
About the City Gallery
In collaboration with the City of Ann Arbor, the Ann Arbor Art Center presents rotating exhibitions in the City Council Chambers. Each exhibition highlights the talent and creativity of local and regional artists. To inquire about purchasing artwork, please contact the Art Center.