Oakland Museum of California Announces Publication of the Most Comprehensive Volume to Date on the Life and Work of Native Photographer Dugan Aguilar

Dugan Aguilar: Born of the Bear Dance expands on OMCA’s acclaimed exhibition, bringing together more than four decades of photographs 

“The photography wolf has bitten my heart. It’s inside me, and I’m trying to get it out.”

— Dugan Aguilar

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(Oakland, CA) 八月 6, 2026 — The Oakland Museum of California (OMCA) and Radius Books are pleased to announce the publication of Dugan Aguilar: Born of the Bear Dance, the most comprehensive volume to date dedicated to the celebrated Native photographer Dugan Aguilar (1947–2018). Building on the acclaimed exhibition of Aguilar’s work presented at OMCA from 11月 2024 through 七月 2025, the richly illustrated publication offers an enduring exploration of Aguilar’s artistic practice, relationships, and legacy through photographs, essays, oral histories, and the artist’s own writings.

For more than four decades, Dugan Aguilar (Mountain Maidu/Pit River/Walker River Paiute) documented Native life throughout California with extraordinary care, humility, and respect. His photographs illuminate ceremonies, basketweavers, veterans, artists, elders, families, and landscapes, presenting Native communities not as subjects of history but as vibrant, contemporary cultures rooted in enduring traditions. Guided by long-standing relationships and a philosophy of reciprocity, Aguilar created images that reflect the trust placed in him by the people and communities he photographed.

With a shared commitment to art, dialogue, and community, this work is published by Radius Books in collaboration with OMCA. The volume brings together Aguilar’s photographs with newly commissioned essays by Theresa L. Harlan (Kewa Pueblo and Jemez Pueblo), Rico Miranda (Rumsen Ohlone), Chag Lowry (Yurok, Maidu, and Achumawi), Jennifer Bates (Northern Sierra Mewuk), Dustin Aguilar (Maidu, Pit River, Paiute), Meredith Patute, and OMCA Curator of Photography and Visual Culture Drew Heath Johnson. Together, these contributions situate Aguilar’s work within the broader story of Native California while preserving the voices and memories of those who knew him best.

“Following the exhibition, we wanted to create a publication that would continue sharing Dugan Aguilar’s extraordinary vision with audiences for generations to come,” said Drew Heath Johnson, Curator of Photography and Visual Culture at OMCA. “This book celebrates not only the remarkable breadth of his photography, but also the deep relationships, trust, and generosity that made his work possible. It stands as both a lasting record of his artistic legacy and a testament to the vibrant Native communities who entrusted him with their stories.”

Entrusted to OMCA by Aguilar’s family in 2021, the artist’s archive includes more than 20,000 original negatives, hundreds of photographic prints, exhibition materials, correspondence, and personal writings spanning his four-decade career. Since receiving the collection, the Museum has worked closely with its Native Advisory Council, Aguilar’s son Dustin, Native scholars, artists, and community members to develop the Born of the Bear Dance exhibition and steward the archive in ways that honor Aguilar’s intentions and the relationships at the heart of his practice. The publication represents a major milestone in that ongoing work.

Dugan Aguilar: Born of the Bear Dance serves as a landmark monograph and an enduring community resource, preserving Aguilar’s photographs alongside the voices, histories, and cultural knowledge that give them meaning. Together, they offer a powerful portrait of Native California that affirms the continuity, resilience, and vitality of Indigenous communities across generations.

Dugan Aguilar: Born of the Bear Dance will be available 八月 26, 2026, through OMCA, Radius Books, and booksellers nationwide.

This project was supported by a grant from the Henry Luce Foundation.

PUBLICATION INFORMATION
Dugan Aguilar: Born of the Bear Dance
Published by Radius Books in collaboration with the Oakland Museum of California
Publication date: 八月 11, 2026
ISBN: 979-8-89018-154-1

Contact:
Azayza Jimenez 
[email protected], 510-318-8467

Scott Horton 
[email protected]

ABOUT DUGAN AGUILAR 
Over more than four decades, Dugan Aguilar (1947-2018) created a body of photographic work that defies colonial narratives, showcasing an unwavering Indigenous presence and dynamic cultural practices. From breathtaking California landscapes to intimate gatherings, ceremonies, basket weaving artistry, and portraits of Native war veterans, Aguilar’s photographs document a rich and nuanced array of California Native experiences. Each image is a testament to moments of profound cultural significance, weaving together stories of resilience and unyielding vitality that define contemporary Native life.

ABOUT THE OAKLAND MUSEUM OF CALIFORNIA
Founded in 1969 as the “museum of the people,” the Oakland Museum of California (OMCA) tells the diverse stories of California’s art, history, and natural environment. Through inclusive exhibitions, public programs, and educational initiatives, OMCA creates space for meaningful dialogue and strives to build more equitable, empathetic, and connected communities. With more than 2 million objects, OMCA’s collection of art, history, and natural science is a resource for understanding California’s dynamic heritage—all within its 110,000-square-foot gallery space and seven-acre campus. A leading Bay Area cultural institution, OMCA is dedicated to fostering an environment where visitors from the region, state, and beyond feel valued and empowered to shape the future of California’s cultural landscape.

VISITOR INFORMATION
The Oakland Museum of California (OMCA) is located at 1000 Oak Street, at 10th Street, in Oakland. All-inclusive Museum admission is $25 general admission; $22 for seniors; $18 for youth ages 12 to 17, as well as for students and educators with valid ID; and free for Members and children 12 and under. OMCA offers onsite underground parking and is conveniently located one block from the Lake Merritt BART station, on the corner of 10th Street and Oak Street. An accessibility ramp is located at the 1000 Oak Street main entrance to the Museum.