Dugan Aguilar
Dugan Aguilar (1947–2018) was a Native American photographer whose work has been exhibited by major museums. He is "among the first Native photographers to document Native life in Yosemite and California through his own vision."
Also recorded as Robert Dugan Aguilar
Dugan Aguilar
- Born
- Dugan Aguilar was born in 1947.
- Died
- Dugan Aguilar died on 6 October 2018.
- Occupation
- photographer
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Dugan Aguilar (1947–2018) was a Native American photographer whose work has been exhibited by major museums. He is "among the first Native photographers to document Native life in Yosemite and California through his own vision."
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wikidata · Q5312477 · wikipedia · Dugan Aguilar
In this article
Early life
Early life
Robert Dugan Aguilar was born on August 8, 1947, in Susanville, California, where he grew up. His mother's family was Maidu from the Green River Rancheria and Achomawi living on Hat Creek. His father was Northern Paiute from the Walker River Indian Reservation in Nevada. Aguilar also has some Irish ancestry and used the name Dugan, which means "of dark complexion" in Gaelic.
Military service
Military service
Aguilar served in the Marines during the Vietnam War for 13 months. The Maidu community made him a warrior when he returned and gave him a beaded golden eagle feather award. His mother transformed his uniform into a quilt.
Education
Education
Aguilar graduated from California State University, Fresno in 1973. He studied photography at the graduate level at University of California, Santa Cruz; University of California, Davis; and University of Nevada, Reno.
Art career
Art career
Ansel Adams was an influence and inspiration to Aguilar. After Aguilar first saw photos by Adams at the Palace of the Legion of Honor in San Francisco in 1973, he decided to learn how to print negatives in a similar way. He took a workshop with Ansel Adams in 1978, and decided to concentrate his career on documenting the Native Americans of California and Nevada. He has used techniques advocated by Adams such as previsualization and use of red filters to create a dark sky. According to independent curator and scholar Brian Bibby, "Aguilar's work is informed by familiarity and affiliation with his subject." His entire archive is now housed at the Oakland Museum of California, where a digital archive of his work can be found.
Death
Death
Dugan Aguilar died on October 6, 2018, in Elk Grove, California.
Exhibitions
Exhibitions
• Ansel Adams Center for Photography, "Constructing Histories: Portraits of Native Americans", 1998 • Crocker Art Museum, 2001 • Maidu Interpretive Center, Roseville, California, "Honoring Hudessi, 2001 • Autry National Center, "Picturing the People", 2007–2008 • Grace Hudson Museum, 2008 • Oakland Museum of California, 2010 • de Saisset Museum, Santa Clara University, 2010 • Oakland Museum of California, 2024
Books
Dugan Aguilar's photographs have been published in the following books: • Deeper Than Gold: A Guide to Indian Life in the Sierra Foothills, Heyday Books • Weaving A California Tradition: A Native American Basketmaker • The Dirt Is Red Here: Art and Poetry From Native California • Yosemite: Art of an American Icon • Remember Your Relations: The Elsie Allen Baskets, Family & Friends • The Fine Art of California Indian Basketry • American Indians and the Urban Experience • Seaweed, Salmon, and Manzanita Cider: a California Indian Feast • Grass Games & Moon Races: California Indian Games and Toys • The Green Book of Language Revitalization in Practice • Precious Cargo: California Indian Cradle Baskets and Childbirth Traditions • Memory and Imagination: the Legacy of Maidu Indian Artist Frank Day • She Sang Me A Good Luck Song: The California Indian Photographs of Dugan Aguilar
Primary material
Documents and archives
reference work
- “Dugan Aguilar”, English Wikipedia, consulted as further reading
Reputable secondary · Wikipedia
authority record
- Wikidata, structured authority record Q5312477: Dugan Aguilar
General reference · Wikidata
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.Robert Dugan Aguilar. Elk Grove Citizen. 17 Oct 2018.
- 2.Bibby, Brian. Yosemite: Art of an American Icon. University of California Press. 111–112. 2006. 9780520249226.
- 3.Harrison, Henry. Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary. Genealogical Publishing Company (reprint). 1. 124. 1996. 9780806301716.
- 4.Trainer, Laureen. Yosemite: Art of an American Icon. University of California Press. 193. 2006. 9780520249226.
- 5.Dalkey, Victoria. Reflections of a People: Keeper of the flame - For Dugan Aguilar, photographing the lives of California Indians is in his blood. Sacramento Bee. August 19, 2001.
- 6.Oakland Museum of California Announces Publication of the Most Comprehensive Volume to Date on the Life and Work of Native Photographer Dugan Aguilar. Oakland Museum of California (OMCA). 2026-08-06.
- 7.SHOWS DEPICT BOTH SIDES TO CLICHES. Contra Costa Times. October 30, 1998.
- 8.American Indian war veterans star in photo exhibit. Sacramento Bee. November 18, 2001.
- 9.Autry National Center. Picturing the People, September 7, 2007 - January 27, 2008. Kazzy and Mom.
- 10.Grace Hudson Museum. Sing Me Your Story, Dance Me Home. Art and Poetry from Native California.
- 11.Meyler, Claire F. Forces of Change. Gallery of California History. Oakland Museum of California. November 22, 2010.
- 12.ARTslant San Francisco. Sing Me Your Story, Dance Me Home: Art and Poetry from Native California. October 2, 2010.
- 13.Born of the Bear Dance: Dugan Aguilar's Photographs of Native California.
References
Citations
References
Each reference names the institution holding it, so a reader may go to the document itself.
reference work
Secondary witnessauthority record
General reference
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 18 August 2026.
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