Ruben “LikeOne” Aguirre has been a very busy man since we last spoke. In addition to his already spectacular body of work up and down our Chicago streets, his murals are garnering attention from many, he made us a significantly magnificent White Sox logo for our April calendar (which you can still find floating around the coolest spots in The Chi), and his installation at The Silver Room is one not to be missed if you wish to consider yourself knowledgeable on the topic of Chicago art and culture.
Ruben Aguirre has been painting graffiti for a long time, and it is with the graf writer mindset you are greeted outside The Silver Room with masterful strokes of orange, black, white, and gray dominating their window display.
Enter the front door, and the collection from Ruben is one of past-meets-present greatness with cannonball splashes of futuristic integrity. His signature flowing, elongated brushstrokes and color accentuation are unmistakable with their giant presence intensifying the experience at The Silver Room. Once inside, one of many things becomes clear: we are in the presence of greatness. The sloping greens, blues, reds, and blacks behind the counter allow visitors to feel that they are a part of the movement of both the painting itself, as well as the philosophical movement that is taking place among open doors. The first of a set of smaller pieces on the wall, Slipping Away, is paper collage on wood. Its future-rustic feel has a perfect blend of contemporary and DIY flare. Next in the set is Aveces (Sometimes) 2, another paper collage on wood panel with stars in the blue sky and landscapes acting as abstractions of what we’ve come to know these scenes as. Come Correct, paper collage on wood, features the two words in Olde English with maps of Chicago grids inside the letters. Below, the four Chicago stars of our flag are emblazoned, much to the delight of Chicagoans who take pride in the act described in the piece. Come correct…
Some dynamic Chicago spots have been blessed with the emergingly iconic work of this native son (Simone’s, Doolittle Elementary, and most recently, The Merchandise Mart to name a few), and he has more in store for sure. He continues to blur lines and captivate imaginations with his signature looks and visionary style.
The body of work on display reminds us of both LikeOne’s organic graffiti roots as well as his ever-evolving and increasingly interesting installations.
Ruben Aguirre is where it’s at…
