Expressive Art
Radar
About the Artist
Emanuel Zarate is a Mexico City–born artist based in Chicago and is Bernheim’s 2025 Environmental Artist in Residence. He creates monumental, brightly painted sculptures using steel armatures and repurposed materials. His work celebrates Mexican heritage while drawing attention to threatened species and environmental protection. Zarate’s sculptures have been exhibited internationally and at festivals across the United States.
Radar
Emanuel Zarate (Chicago, IL)
2025 Environmental Artist in Residence
Materials: Steel, wood, repurposed materials, UV paint
Radar is a large-scale sculpture of the Northern Long-eared Bat, one of the 16 species native to Kentucky. While working at Bernheim, Zarate would often observe bats feeding over Lake Nevin at dusk, from which he drew inspiration. His sculpture highlights the species’ ecological importance, vulnerability, and graceful flight. Radar sits high on a pedestal constructed from a fallen oak tree, metaphorically referencing how bats often seek loose bark for shelter. Painted with bright UV-sensitive paint, Radar becomes especially vivid at night, particularly during Bernheim’s annual event, CONNECT.
Location: Along the Lake Nevin Loop