Alonso Galue (b. 1994) is a Venezuelan multidisciplinary artist, puppeteer, painter, and performer based in Chicago. His work explores migration, mental health, and folkloric traditions through monumental painting, sculpture, and immersive performance. As curator at Agitator Gallery, he advances artist-led initiatives that amplify immigrant voices and challenge dominant narratives.

Galue’s socially engaged projects merge myth and lived experience to confront displacement and psychological crisis. In The Weeping Nation, he embodied a grieving mother searching for her lost children, navigating Logan Square beneath a towering cardboard head. In The Wonder Mask Pilgrimage, he led a masked procession across Chicago’s landmarks, reimagining ancestral ritual as civic protest and belonging. I Am Here, You Are There transformed migrant care packages into fragmented portraits of refugees’ divided lives before returning to Venezuela as aid, while Tell Me How to Get to… examined mental health through paper murals of self-conflict and muppet-like figures.

At the center of his practice is Paradise Aliens, a visionary cycle of paintings and performances where Andean and Amazonian cosmologies, climate change, and exile converge in vivid, hallucinatory landscapes. Galue has exhibited widely across the United States and Latin America, including the Chicago Cultural Center, Northwestern University’s Wirtz Center for the Performing Arts, Elastic Arts, Co-Prosperity Sphere, and the Museum of Contemporary Art of Zulia.

SPA:

Alonso Galue (n. 1994) es un artista multidisciplinario, titiritero, pintor y performer venezolano radicado en Chicago. Su obra explora la migración, la salud mental y las tradiciones folclóricas a través de la pintura monumental, la escultura y la performance inmersiva. Como curador en Agitator Gallery, impulsa iniciativas lideradas por artistas que amplifican voces inmigrantes y cuestionan narrativas dominantes.

Sus proyectos socialmente comprometidos fusionan mito y experiencia vivida para confrontar el desplazamiento y la crisis psicológica. En La Nación Llorona, encarnó a una madre en duelo que buscaba a sus hijos perdidos, recorriendo Logan Square bajo una gigantesca cabeza de cartón. En La Peregrinación de la Máscara Maravilla, condujo una procesión enmascarada por hitos culturales de Chicago, reimaginando rituales ancestrales como protesta cívica y actos de pertenencia. Yo Aqui, Tú Allá transformó cajas de ayuda migrante en retratos fragmentados de vidas divididas, enviadas luego a Venezuela como ayuda humanitaria; mientras Dime Cómo Llegar a… exploró la salud mental a través de murales en papel con figuras tipo “muppet” que encarnaban conflictos internos.

En el centro de su práctica se encuentra Slienigenas del Paraiso, un ciclo visionario de pinturas y performances donde convergen cosmologías andinas y amazónicas, cambio climático y exilio en paisajes alucinatorios. Galue ha expuesto ampliamente en Estados Unidos y América Latina, incluyendo el Chicago Cultural Center, el Wirtz Center for the Performing Arts de Northwestern University, Elastic Arts, Co-Prosperity Sphere y el Museo de Arte Contemporáneo del Zulia.

Solo Exhibitions

2025 | Paradise Aliens. Wirtz Center for the performance arts. Curated by Jorge Silva. Northwestern Universtity. Chicago, IL.

2024 | We are All Different! We are all the same! A community mural--Agitator Gallery, Chicago, IL

2023 | Tell Me how to Get To--COOP Gallery, Nashville, TN

2022 | You are here--Happy Gallery, Chicago, IL

2022 | I Hear a Symphony--Collaboration with W Madrigal—Elastic Arts, Chicago, IL

2021 | All the Broken-Hearted People--Belong Gallery, Chicago, IL

2020 | Torment’s Lullaby- Public space, Old Irving Park, Chicago, IL, USA

2019 | Immigrants to go- Agitator Gallery, curated by Gretchen hasse, Chicago, IL, USA

2017 | Aún Somos Ridículos- La Otra Banda Gallery, curated by Elizabeth Marín, Mérida, Venezuela

2015 | Untitled- La pedregosa Hotel- Mérida, Venezuela.

Collaborative Projects

2024 | Art With an Accent The Marisol Experiment in collaboration with Lorena Diaz and Wendy Madrigal. - Floating World Gallery - Chicago

2024 | Lights On: The Venezuelan Experiment in collaboration with Yeison Perez and Carlos Luis Sanchez Becerra-Majenye. - Agitator Gallery - Chicago

Performance Arts

2024 I Puppets for Exquisite Corpse. Rough House Theater. Stteppenwolf theatre.

2024 I Puppets for Amor Eterno by Gwendolyn Madrigal. Puppet Lab. Segundo Ruiz Belvis Cultural Center

2024 | Smells Like Sulfur. Presented at Antojitos Fest. Logan Square Improv. Chicago, IL

2024 | Vulture’s Lullaby. Presented at Physical Theater Festival. Theater Wit. Chicago, IL.

2023 I Puppets for The Thing With Wings by Gretchen Hasse. International Puppet Festival. Chopin Theater. Chicago, IL

Residence

2025 I Likhaya incubator program.

2024 I Puppet lab with Grace Needleman and Tom Lee.

2021 | Bridge program-Hyde park Art Center

2019 | Mana Contemporary in association with Juxtapoz Magazine Void Projects Residence in Downtown. Miami, FL

Press

2025
Chicago Reader -Celebrating the global majority with Pivot Arts by Kerry Reid

2024
WGN-TV
‘Mother of Pop Art’: Venezuelan artist showcased in Chicago by Lourdes Duarte

2021
Wynwood Times
Alonso Galue - La Ardiente paciencia de los lienzos. by Yorgenis Ramirez

Selected Group Exhibitions

2024
-Potential Energy. Chicago Cultural Center. Chicago, IL
-Agitator Comics. Agitator Gallery. Chicago, IL
-Reflections: a show about nostalgia. Agitator Gallery. Chicago, IL
-Jovenes con FIA en el Espacio. Espacio Projecto Libertad, Merida, Venezuela.

2023
-Logan Square Art Festival. Chicago, IL
-Agitator Members Show. Agitator Gallery. Chicago, IL
-Jovenes Con FIA. Iberoamerican Art Fair. Andres Bello University Cultural Center. Caracas, Venezuela
-Have You Eaten? - Agitator Gallery
-Potential Energy - Co-prosperity Art Space . Chicago, IL

2022

- Soft Opening. Agitator Gallery, Chicago, IL
- Miniature show. Happy Gallery, Chicago, IL
- +one. Happy Gallery, Chicago, IL
-Digital Encounters. Encounters Art Space. Brighton, UK
- Together Again. Agitator Gallery, Chicago, IL

2021

-Locus: VI. Locus Gallery, Chicago, IL
-Light and Hope Dialogs. Encounters Art Space. Brighton, UK

2020

- Home Mural Fest. Void Projects, Miami, FL

- And Then: Stories of what will come next. Agitator Gallery, Chicago, IL

- Immigrant Artist Biennial: Instagram show. New York, New York.

- A portrait in between. Encounters Art Space. Brighton, UK

-Iberoamerican Art Fair. Caracas, Venezuela.

-Baby, Baby. Fluffy Crimes, Chicago, IL

-La piel del sentido. Espacio Proyecto Libertad. Merida, Venezuela

2019 | Void Projects Open Studios. Miami, FL

2018 | Artganic Wynwood. Miami, FL

2017

- 36avo Salón Municipal de Girardot. Galería Municipal de Arte. Alcaldía de Girardot. Aragua, Venezuela.

- Young Artist biennial. Museum of Contemporary Art of El Zulia (MACZUL). Zulia, Venezuela.

- #Protesta Inteligente (#SpartProtest). Espacio Proyecto Libertad. Mérida, Venezuela.

- 232. Espacio Proyecto Libertad. Mérida, Venezuela.

- Multiple Views. Gallery of Belenzate Hotel. Mérida, Venezuela2016

- XI Annual Award Armando Reverón. Modern Art Museum Juan Astorga Anta. Mérida, Venezuela

- 1st County Biennial of Valencia. “Alexis Mujica” ArtCenter . Valencia, Venezuela

- 2nd Arte Carelis Price. Arte Carelis Gallery. Aragua, Venezuela

- National Award of Small Format Epifanía Gil-Los Andes Museum, Mérida, Venezuela.

2015

- VERSUS “Everyone against everyone-Yaracuy”. Carmelo Fernandez Museum. Yaracuy, Venezuela.

- More Art for the Architecture School. La Otra Banda Gallery. Mérida, Venezuela.

2014

- Open House. Art School, Los Andes University. Mérida, Venezuela.

- Versus “Everyone vs. everyone”. Prints Gallery. Mérida, Venezuela.

2013

- Invited artist at “Color and Drawing”. GAF Mérida, Venezuela.

- Emiro Lobo Award. DAES –Los Andes University. Mérida, Venezuela.

- International Book Fair. APULA Stand + La Rama Dorada Stand. Mérida, Venezuela.

- Armando Reverón Artist’s Month. Juan Astorga Anta Museum of Modern Art. Mérida, Venezuela.

2012 | La Rama Dorada Bookstore Exhibit- Mérida, Venezuela.

Work on view at

+Agitator Galley, Chicago, IL

+North Western Univerisity’s Wirtz Center for the Arts.

+Teatro Vista, the Exchange, Chicago, IL

+Los Andes University, Mérida, Venezuela.

+Space of Art Gallery, Mérida, Venezuela.

+Espacio Proyecto Libertad, Mérida, Venezuela.

+Valencia’s County Collection, Valencia, Venezuela.

Curatorship

Selected Curatorship
2025 | A Través de la Pantalla by Kaelyn Andrade, Agitator Gallery, Chicago, IL
2024 | Lights On: The Venezuelan Experiment by Carlos Luis Sánchez Becerra, Yeison Pérez & Alonso Galue, Agitator Gallery, Chicago, IL
2023 | Together Again, Collective Show, Agitator Gallery, Chicago, IL
2017 | Rastros by Germán Carrillo (with Dr. Liuba Alberti), La Otra Banda Gallery, Mérida, Venezuela

Movies

2015 | Drawings for the Short Film: “Vigilante” by Amanda Peréz. CNAC (Centro Nacional Autonomo de Cinematografia)/ EMA (Film Art Scholl) ULA (Los Andes university).

2013 | Art Assistant, “Xarop” by Capibara films.

Bibliography

2025
Chicago Reader -Celebrating the global majority with Pivot Arts by Kerry Reid

2024
‘Mother of Pop Art’: Venezuelan artist showcased in Chicago by Lourdes Duarte

2020

-https://www.jonuel-brigue.org/alonso-galue

-https://artsforillinois.org/posts/migrant-viruses

-https://www.voidprojects.org/home-muralfest-1-2020

-https://www.allcitycanvas.com/home-muralfest-festival-street-art-cuarentena

-http://www.thevisualist.org/2020/05/tonada-del-tormento-torments-lullaby/

-http://badatsports.com/2020/top-v-weekend-picks-5-14-5-20/

2019

- https://www.thevisualist.org/2019/10/alonso-galue-immigrants-to-go-2/

-http://badatsports.com/2019/top-v-weekend-picks-10-10-10-16/