Contact Information:
email:
aarhughes@gmail.com
mailing address:
Aaron Hughes
2541 Fontana Drive
Glenview, IL 60025
Biography
On January 30, 2003 Aaron was pulled out of the University of Illinois and called to active duty with the 1244th Transportation Company Army National Guard out of North Riverside, Illinois. On April 17, 2003 his Company was deployed to Kuwait under Operation Iraqi Freedom. There he supported combat operations by transporting supplies from camps and ports in Kuwait to camps in Iraq. After three extensions, totaling one year, three months and seven days, Aaron's Company was redeployed to home base in North Riverside Illinois on July 24, 2004. Aaron returned to the University of Illinois in the spring of 2005 as a student majoring in painting with the need to express and share his experiences with others.
C.V.
Recent history:
Present Seeking publication for Dust Memories, a book that visually documents
my journey through Iraq (www.aarhughes.org/dustmemories.html)
Nov. 2006-07 Exhibiting and speaking at the National Vietnam Veterans Art Museum
for an exhibition titled Shifting Memories: Reconstructing an identity
amidst the dust of false understandings, deceiving narratives, and
“Iraq.”
Nov. 2006 Included in a presentation to the United Nations Ambassadors from
Bosnia, Iraq, Kuwait, and Turkey during the Global Medical Relief
Fund’s documentary film premiere titled “To Walk Without Fear” by
MIRACLE MILE FILMS (www.globmed.org).
July 2006 Participant in The Summer Institute program at The Kitchen, New York
in which projects were conducted with Harrell Fletcher, Sam Gould, Lee
Walton, & Emily Jacir, including a feature length film titled Our
Inconvenient Truth, created in collaboration with the children of the low
income housing developments in Chelsea and the Hudson Guild (www.hudsonguild.org) (www.thekitchen.org/cometogether)
June 2006 Home building and collaberative drawing projects in collaboration with
Habitat for Humanity and children in Botswana, Africa
2003 - 04 Deployed with the 1244th Transportation Company Illinois Army
National Guard to Kuwait and Iraq in support of combat operations in
Iraq
Education
2006 Bachelor of Fine Arts, Painting
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Illinois (www.uiuc.edu)
2006 Studies in “Landscape as Muse”
Ox Bow School of Art and Artists’ Residency, Saugatuck, Michigan,
(www.ox-bow.org)
2006 The Sidney Kahn Summer Institute
The Kitchen, New York, New York, (www.thekitchen.org)
2005 U. S. Army Peer Leadership Development Course
Fort Ashland, Nebraska
2004 Combat Life Saver School
Camp Arifjan, Kuwait
2000 - 03 Industrial Design studies
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Illinois (www.uiuc.edu)
2001 Advanced Individual Training
Transportation and Convoy Procedures, Fort Bliss, Texas.
Work Experience
Present Board of Directors, Vice President
OPENSOURCE Art, Champaign, Illinois (www.opensource.boxwith.com)
Reference: Board of Directors, President Amber Ginsberg
2005 - 06 Studio Assistant for Professor Laurie Hogin (www.lauriehogin.com)
Reference: Professor Laurie Hogin
2005 - 06 Assistant Librarian, Ricker Art and Achitecture Library, Champaign IL
Reference: Librarian, Dorfredia Williams
2004 - 06 Sergeant [team leader] for the 1244th Transportation Company,
North Riverside, IL
Reference: Sergeant First Class Garber
2003 - 04 Sergeant [team leader and convoy commander] while deployed to
Kuwait and Iraq
Reference: Sergeant First Class Garber
2002 - 03 Wood and metal shop attendant, Industrial Design program,
University of Illinois
Reference: Art and Design Shop Supervisor, Stan Shaw.
Solo Shows
2006 - 07 Shifting Memories: Reconstructing an identity amidst the dust of false
understandings, deceiving narratives, and “Iraq.”
National Vietnam Veterans Art Museum, Chicago, Illinois (www.nvvam.org)
April 2006 Dust Memories, Illinois Program for Research in the Humanities, Urbana, Illinois (www.iprh.uiuc.edu)
Group Shows
2006 Studio Works, National Vietnam Veterans Art Museum Chicago, IL
(www.nvvam.org)
2006 Behind the Facade, The Springer Cultural Center, Champaign, Illinois
2006 Thinking Outside The Book, University Library, Champaign, Illinois
2006 Come Together, The Kitchen, New York, New York
(www.thekitchen.org/cometogether)
2006 Transferred Image: A Printmaking Exhibition, 33 Collective Gallery
Chicago, IL
2006 Spectacles of the Real, Illinois Program for Research in the
Humanities, Urbana, IL (www.iprh.uiuc.edu)
2005 Mind and Matter, OPENSOURCE Art, Champaign, Illinois
2005 Skinless Capital Show, OPENSOURCE Art, Champaign, Illinois
2005 Bone Yard Festival, OPENSOURCE Art, Champaign, Illinois
2005 Sight Specific, OPENSOURCE Art, Champaign, Illinois
Curatorial Projects
2006 In War/At War: The Practice of Everyday, OPENSOURCE Art,
Champaign, IL
2006 OPENdraw: a drawing show, OPENSOURCE Art, Champaign, IL
2006 Spectacles of the Real, OPENSOURCE Art Champaign, IL
Honors + Awards
2006 Magna Cum Laude
2006 Ox Bow School of Art and Artist Residency full merit based scholarship
2006 Grant to attend The Sidney Kahn Summer Institute at The Kitchen, New
York
2005 - 06 James Scholar/Dean’s List
2004 Army Commendation Medal.
2004 National Defense Service Medal.
2004 Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal.
2004 Armed Forces Reserve Medal with Mobilization Device.
2004 Driver Badge.
2000 - 03 James Scholar/Dean’s List
2001 Global War on Terrorism Service Medal.
2001 Army Service Ribbon.
2001 Runner-up Sophomore of the Year in Industrial Design.
2000 - 02 Awarded School of Fine Arts Tuition Waver.
Goals:
Publish book.
Attend graduate school for a Masters of Fine Arts.
Facilitate actions for peace.
Create spaces for reflecting on the idea of humanity.
Work within local communities to empower individuals to make peaceful, intelligent change.