Tashkeel, the independent art gallery and resource for artists and designers established by Sheikha Lateefa Bint Maktoum in Dubai, is showcasing an exclusive collection of works from its second invited artist this month.
Ruben Sanchez, a Barcelona-based urban artist who has also been instrumental in fusing creativity on Tashkeel's innovative skateboard ramps, is hosting his first-ever solo exhibition in the UAE, from November 16th until December 31st.
The vibrant street- and-skate origins of Barcelona-based urban artist Ruben Sanchez seem to burst from his first solo exhibition in the UAE, entitledThe B Side, and created while in residence as Tashkeel’s second guest artist in 2013. The B Side explores the possibility of a variety of surfaces – as conduits for movement on wheels and as canvases for Sanchez’s effusive, Mediterranean-hued abstract works – including found objects such as salvaged wood and outdated signs to abandoned sports cars.
“The B Side is an evolution of Ruben’s childhood of invented worlds and cartoons, his immersion in Spain’s skateboard and graffiti culture as a teenager, and the inherent potential of skating over or embellishing through spray-paint a range of surfaces and objects in Dubai, creating a hybrid that represents his year in the Emirates and the way it has informed and expanded his work,” said Anabelle de Gersigny, Strategy and Partnership Development Manager.
Tashkeel, found Sanchez to be a tireless and community-minded guest artist, creating large-scale murals, developing graffiti workshops and collaborating with other UAE-based artists.
The B Side includes ‘Bicycamel’ on Jumeirah Beach Road - a homage to the Spanish fairy tale ‘Los Caballeros de Los Peces’ (The Knights of the Fish), that has been restructured for Dubai, based on what Sanchez has seen and experienced during his time here. In the artist's portrayal, a figure on a bike reaches out to an apple from a tree. This references the Spanish fable where a cobbler’s son goes to fight a dragon that is terrorizing a town. In the Dubai version, there is no dragon to fight, but the universal inactivity of people’s bodies and minds.
A largely self-taught artist, Sanchez found opportunities for expression at a young age through decorating his brother’s skateboards. Influenced by the break-dancing and graffiti cultures in his native Spain, Sanchez was attracted to the subversive nature of the country’s emerging street artists while being exposed through his education to Spanish masters including Dali and Miró. Sanchez’s work during his Tashkeel residence depicts the influence of his prior professional experience as an illustrator, graphic designer, and animator.
