Many good deeds go unnoticed, and it’s preferred that way. A long time ago it was a decision that guided intentions to fulfill a way of life. Now take that and write in your next promotion or mission to save arts and culture from its demise. Just a hint of what Lenin would have to listen to while spending hours in the gallery with me, we’d be sharing about life and what inspires me as a sensei as Lenin would put it. We will miss his charm, and regular presence in the gallery. Thank you for the time, dedication and patience of dealing with my wild imagination and persistence to excel everyday. I greatly appreciate you taking care of what is so dear to my heart, and the people that make Empire Seven Studios.
- Juan Carlos Araujo
My Empire Era (from Lenin Olvavarria)
In the summer of 2023, I visited Empire Seven Studios, hoping to get my foot in the door of the San Jose art scene. I was instantly drawn to the gallery's aesthetic, and even more so after learning its history and mark in the neighborhood. Since its establishment in 2008, E7S has been a pillar of the arts community in San Jose’s historic Japantown district.
It was there I met Juan Carlos Araujo, the gallery’s Director, Consultant, and Curator, and unknowingly, my future mentor. We instantly connected with our shared cultural identities as Mexican artists who grew up in California. I was dedicated to diving deep into the heart of the art world in the South Bay, and this felt like the right place.
My contributions to the gallery involved managing gallery operations, assisting in event planning, social media, art handling, and exhibit installations. Outside the gallery, I supported pop-up events and helped facilitate events like San Jose Day, where we saw thousands of people come through our doors, and even larger projects like the SJ Walls Mural Festival, a week-long public art festival that brought international and local artists together to create public art.
One of the most profound moments of my E7S experience was the chance to showcase and sell my own artwork. I was lucky to co-curate my first exhibit, ‘A Tribute to Hayao Miyazaki’, a collection of works by various artists, celebrating the enduring legacy of the visionary animator and co-founder of Studio Ghibli. Not only did I get to develop the theme and help curate the list of participating artists, but I was also a featured artist in the show.
This visibility pushed me creatively, forcing me to meet new personal standards as an artist. I built connections with fellow artists, curators, and arts professionals, leading me to show my work at other local galleries in San Jose and San Francisco.
I’ve learned so much from Juan Carlos. He provided me with invaluable, hands-on knowledge of the often-unseen aspects of the industry that only comes from experience. Yes, we would have conversations about the nuances of industry politics, but he also introduced me to so many legends across various global art scenes over the last two decades.
Often, we would sit in the gallery, quietly working on our laptops while an independent documentary played in the background—a documentary detailing the history behind an underrepresented group of artists in New York and how they revolutionized the 1980s New York graffiti scene.
Most of all, I learned the value of artist advocacy. The gallery's atmosphere is defined by the collaborative spirit of the E7S team, which includes Jennifer Ahn (Manager, Administrator, and Curator) and Stacey Kellogg (Business Development and Project Management)—the kindest and fiercest colleagues I've had the pleasure of working alongside and learning from. I helped the team uplift artists and foster a vibrant community in Japantown and the greater Bay Area, driving home the message that E7S isn't just a place to view art; it's a dedicated space for artistic expression and support.
Although this era of working at E7S is closing, my connection to the gallery is permanent. I carry the lessons of community, dedication, and creative ambition with me as I look toward new goals—to find a career path in the arts and eventually return as a featured artist to have my work shown in the space that helped strengthen my passion.
