CANDE AGUILAR AMERICAN, B. 1972 Cande Aguilar is a mid-career contemporary visual artist, who was born and brought up by the United States-Mexico border, born in 1972, Brownsville TX a self-taught artist who reflects on border culture through his barrioPOP distinctive style. At the young age of 10, Cande embarked on a music career, and at the age of 13 recorded his first conjunto music album. As a musician, he toured the United States and received numerous awards. In 1999 he produced his first oil painting, and has since accumulated an impressive body of work. Cande defines his barrioPOP style as an amalgamation sprung by characters, colors and street phenomena. Aguilar has had solo exhibitions at the McNay Art Museum, San Antonio (2018) 81 Leonard Gallery, NY, NY (2020); the Brownsville Museum of Fine Art (2020, 2001); International Museum of Arts & Science, McAllen TX (2009) and Grayduck Gallery, Austin TX (2021). Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center, San Antonio (2022). His work has been included in group exhibitions at La Grange Gallery, Fance (2020-2022) K-Space Contemporary, Corpus Christi (2019); 500X Gallery, Dallas (2017); Boecker Contemporary, Heidelberg, Germany (2017); La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain (2017); Kirk Hopper Fine Art, Dallas (2016); The Painting Center, New York (2015); Studio Apothiki, Paphos, Cyprus (2015); MACLA Museum, San Jose, CA (2012); Alexandria Museum of Art, Louisiana (2012); Craighead Green Gallery, Dallas (2010); and the Wichita Falls Museum of Art (2009). Aguilar’s work was included in the 2017 Texas Biennial in Austin.