“Jonathan Michael Castillo photographs with a deep sense of care and intimacy—something that is immediately palpable in his images of interiors within Chicago’s immigrant-owned businesses. His work carries both emotional resonance and visual sensitivity, revealing spaces shaped by labor, memory, and community. As he expands this project beyond Chicago into broader geographies, the Artadia Award feels especially timely and critical, offering meaningful support at a pivotal moment in the evolution of his practice.” – juror Ionit Behar, Marilyn and Larry Fields Curator, MCA Chicago

“The photographs of Jonathan Michael Castillo are vital testaments to the experiences of immigrants, merging incisive portraits with careful depictions of interiors. Castillo is forging new paths in documentary photography, a discipline with a vast and complex history. Through an enduring commitment to communities within and around Chicago, Castillo is now poised to bring his talents to a national stage, where the lives of immigrants demand visibility and celebration.” – juror Daniel Merritt, Chief Curator, Aspen Art Museum

Castillo (b.1982, Los Angeles, CA) is a visual artist, photographer and educator based in Chicago. His work has been featured with The New Yorker, Wired, The Chicago Tribune and CBS: Los Angeles. Jonathan was recently commissioned to create a large-scale permanent installation of his work at O’Hare International Airport as part of the Terminal 5 expansion project. In 2023 he was commissioned to make work for the city of Chicago’s Citywide Plan in partnership with the Department of Cultural Affairs and the Department of Planning and Development.

Jonathan Michael Castillo’s work is focused on people, place, the communities and groups that people form, the social issues that affect populations and how people navigate larger systems of government and bureaucracy. Utilizing photography, video, installation and handmade paper his projects operate as both social documentary and socially engaged art. Topics such as immigration, labor, economics, debt, government systems and how those subjects overlap are prominent themes in his work.