Gabriel Ibarzábal

A wish for the President

2011-04-13T14:00:00.000-07:00

In the latest edition of Zona Maco, Mexican contemporary art fair, I invite the visitors to write a wish for Lic. Felipe Calderón Hinojosa President of Mexico. Here is Iliana Furlong writing his wish.

Miguel de la Madrid, son of former Mexican President Miguel de la Madrid, also wrote his wish. This action took place at the booth of the contemporary art magazine Caviar Izquierda.

Love is Back 4 The Wish Project by G.I.

2011-01-09T18:37:00.001-08:00

The Mexican brand, Love is Back, created this shirt as a part of the collaborations I do with fashion designers in order to create pieces of clothing that promotes the action of wishing.
And this one has a pair of ruby red slippers based on the ones that Dorothy had (The Wizard of OZ). I took these photos in Mexico City and the guy is a friend and a model from Role Models called Eddie Sir.

The Wish Project @ Caviar Izquierda

2011-01-04T22:39:00.000-08:00

In the second issue of contemporary art Mexican magazine Caviar Izquierda there is an aktion by me. Where I ask the readers of the magazine to write three wishes in a piece of paper, burn it and then mail it to me. The idea is to remember them that the act of wishing is the beginning of a reality change.

www.caviarizquierda.com

Iraq Sky in 192

2010-11-22T23:08:00.000-08:00

In the latest issue of 192 magazine, there are some photos of my series IRAQ SKY.

Three Wishes at the Museum of Moder Art -Mexico

2010-10-03T22:24:00.000-07:00

Last wednesday, September 29th, was the annual auction at the Museo de Arte Moderno of Mexico Vivo Foundation. Here I present, for the first time, the portraits I did early this year of young guys after I asked them to make a wish. Each one is holding a simple object that individuals use to make a wish. From left to right, Pablo has a coin, Johann a "wish bone" and José 12 grapes.

I wish in Sitges

2010-07-26T13:00:00.000-07:00

Last weekend, late July, I went to Sitges. One of the prettiest beach town in the world. I made a wish, as I always do, after I leave a post-it with the word of wish in Catalan.

The everyday life in Barcelona/ La vida Cotidiana en Barcelona

2010-07-19T12:02:00.000-07:00

Yesterday as I was walking in Barcelona I took this photo. Now this is part of my series "The Everyday Life" which is focus or based on clothes or accessories left in the streets.

Love num. 4

2010-06-21T22:11:00.000-07:00

I did this painting in my studio of Mexico City in early fall of the 2009, it is acrylic on Canvas. Then it was shown in a group show at Terreno Baldio Gallery along with some of my photos and the work from artists such as Héctor Velázquez, Iván Krassoievitch, Anette Kuhn, Moncho, among others, the show was called "Arte Pequeño". Now this painting belongs to my dear friend Sergio Magaña.

TWP @ San Miguel de Allende

2010-06-14T11:58:00.000-07:00

I visited this beautiful colonial town, located 3 hours away from Mexico City, for the wedding of one of my best friends, Mexican fashion designer Alexia Ulibarri, who also studied at Central St. Martins, as well as I did. And she married Sebastian Tonda with whom I studied secondary school @ Colegio Madrid in Mexico City. Destiny played a quite important character this time, right? After walking around the town I fount this public phone with an amazing red wall and I put my post-it and made a wish. This was for my friends.

Summer 2010, my studio in Mexico City

2010-06-07T15:53:00.000-07:00

The Wish Project in MACO 2010

2010-04-21T00:02:00.000-07:00

Here is an image of the owner and director of Terreno Baldio Gallery wearing a t-shirt from The Wish Project by me.

12 x 12 opening @ Mexico City

2010-04-16T09:30:00.000-07:00

Máximo González, artist I admire and love, me and Argentinean writer and poet Iván Buenader... No more photos, please!

Mexican Artist known as Moncho posing before leaving to Damian Hirst opening.

Martha Cristiana, Mexican celebrity, lovely friend and one of my collectors, taking photos while wearing flashy silver pants.

12 x 12, Iraq Sky, EDS Gallery @ Torre del Reloj

2010-04-16T02:53:00.001-07:00

April is the strongest month in Mexico City to explore contemporary art through MACO, one the most important art fairs in Latinamerica. In the official agenda there was a group show call 12 x 12 a project of EDS Gallery. So we were 12 photographers showing 12 photos. This happen in the Torre del Reloj and the opening was pretty great. Here are my series Iraq Sky.

Miguel Carrion 4 TWP

2010-03-31T12:54:00.000-07:00

An other young guy wearing the t-shirt and a cordon with a wish he made-ask. This photo I took in my studio last Fall.

José Saenz 4 TWP

2010-03-31T12:50:00.000-07:00

He is wearing the Malafacha t-shirt for The Wish Project by G.I. He is so cute and his energy is quite unique.

Pablo Goldin 4 The Wish Project by G.I.

2010-03-27T03:42:00.001-07:00

This young guy from Paragon Models is wearing the t-shirt of The Wish Project created by Mexican independent brand Malafacha. This photo I took it last year. Here he is burning a list of three wishes he wrote on a white paper. Enjoy it!

On the Sky of Brazil

2010-03-18T05:23:00.001-07:00

In a flight from Sao Paulo to Rio de Janeiro. I left a post-it with the word of wish in the local language, DESIJO. In the small window of the back door of the plane. Making a wish and flying in a plane has several similarities, both represents a journey, a way and a path. In both cases you are closer to the light, to the sun and your mind feels clearer and the horizon is infinite.

Wishing in Sao Paulo

2010-03-16T22:21:00.003-07:00

More post-its are left with the word of wish in every single city I visit...

I wish in Rio de Janeiro

2010-03-16T22:14:00.000-07:00

I still wish... Right? What else can I do about it. It is the action of wishing to start changing you present moment...

I wish in Valencia, Winter 2010

2010-03-16T08:25:00.000-07:00

As part as my public space interventions in public phones. I leave post-its with the word wish with the local language. In this case is Valencian.

12 x 12 Iraq Sky series for EDS Gallery

2010-01-04T17:36:00.000-08:00

On the streets of Mexico City

2010-01-01T21:18:00.000-08:00

I wish year 2010

2010-01-01T20:34:00.000-08:00

2010
I wish-desiree to forgive and forget, to be able to grow as a person and as an artist. I wish that all the doors of the universes are open for me. So I can be a better person towards myself and the world I live in. I wish for this new decade my spirit will be stronger and wiser. And I wish you wish too.

I wish year 2000

2010-01-01T20:16:00.000-08:00

2000
I remember one of my wishes was to study and live in Europe. To have a couple in a city where my preferences were respected. I also wish to travel around the world and that the new year, decade and millenium was full of possibilities.

Iraq Sky @ El Informador, Mexican press

2009-12-16T01:13:00.000-08:00

Opening of Iraq Sky @ EDS Gallery

2009-12-15T00:42:00.001-08:00

Here I am wearing a T-shirt with the legend "Vírgen de las Vírgenes" (Virgin of the virgins) because it was December 12th, almost a national day, here in Mexico we celebrate the Virgen of Guadalupe on that day. Also this is the tittle of a song that was written by Mexican pop star Gloria Trevi. With me two dear friends, Mexican photographer and blogger Cesar Arellano and the sweetest model and person in the city: José.

Photos by MUD

Text by Juan Antonio Molina for my show @ EDS Gallery

2009-12-11T14:28:00.000-08:00

GABRIEL IBARZABAL (MÉXICO, D.F 1978-) | IRAQ SKY

Con una formación multidisciplinaria, Gabriel Ibarzábal hace gala de una versatilidad muy coherente con el carácter mixto de las experiencias estéticas en el arte contemporáneo. Habiendo realizado estudios de ciencias de la comunicación, teoría del arte, performance y artes visuales, en diversas escuelas de México, Barcelona y Londres, este autor acude lo mismo a la pintura y el dibujo que al performance, la literatura y la fotografía, logrando en sus mejores proyectos esa pluralidad de lenguajes que suele enriquecer la naturaleza discursiva del arte actual. Su presencia en el proyecto 12 x 12 aporta entonces una interesante combinación de registro documental y narrativa ficcional, algo de lo que ya Ibarzábal ha sacado buen provecho en obras anteriores, como su serie 12 horas en Barcelona, de 2003. En Cielo de Irak los límites de lo específicamente fotográfico son rebasados con ironía y dramatismo. En esta obra no es tan importante lo que fue fotografiado como las circunstancias en que se generó y se realizó el acto fotográfico, circunstancias que también son reelaboradas por el propio artista. La obra consiste en una serie de fotos tomadas en un avión de pasajeros que volaba de Dubai a Londres, justo en el momento en que sobrevolaba el territorio de Iraq. Los aviones de papel aparecen superpuestos a la ventanilla del avión, sugiriendo la siluetas de los aviones de combate norteamericanos que participan en esa guerra. El montaje hace que la realidad de la guerra invada el microcosmos apacible de la cabina del avión, desde donde debería observarse un cielo prístino e incontaminado.

Esas siluetas oscuras son amenazadoras y, al mismo tiempo, inofensivas, pues mientras la forma del avión remite a la realidad violenta de la guerra, su consistencia de papel nos deja con la tranquilidad de que estamos frente a una representación, a través de objetos que todavía conservan las connotaciones de los juegos infantiles. Esta doble connotación del avión de papel es equivalente al tono mixto (de refinada brutalidad por un lado, y de sofisticada irrealidad por el otro) que adquieren las representaciones de la guerra en los medios de comunicación contemporáneos.

Iraq Sky es una obra que se origina en el gesto y en la intervención. Las fotos están impregnadas de la sensación de inestabilidad propia de las imágenes efímeras. Sus implicaciones tienen que ver con la geopolítica, pero van más allá de la localización fugaz del territorio del conflicto para impactar en el imaginario de la guerra, presentándolo como ideal colectivo al que nos seguimos enfrentando con una perversidad infantil y lúdicra.

Por: Juan Antonio Molina

The multidisciplinary formation that characterizes Gabriel Ibarzábal displays a very coherent versatility with the mixed character of the aesthetic experiences in contemporary art. Having pursued studies of Communication Sciences, Art Theory, Performance and Visual Arts in several academies in Mexico, Barcelona and London, this author turns to painting in the same fashion he turns to drawing as well as to performance, literature and photography, achieving in his best projects, that plurality of languages that tends to enrich the stating nature of current art. His presence in the 12 x 12 project thus contributes an interesting combination of documentary register and fictional narrative, something of which Ibarzábal has already benefited from in previous work, such as his series 12 hours in Barcelona,2003. In Irak Sky the limits of what is specifically photographic are surpassed with irony and drama. In this work what was photographed was not as important as the circumstances where the photographic act was generated and carried out; such circumstances are also re-elaborated by the artist himself. The work consists of a series of photographs taken from a passenger airplane that flew from Dubai to London, just at the time it was flying over the Irak territory. The paper planes appear overlapped on the airplane’s window, suggesting the silhouettes of American combat airplanes that participate in that war. The assembly causes the reality of war to invade the peaceful micro cosmos of the airplane’s cabin, from where a pristine and unpolluted sky should be observed.

Those dark silhouettes are threatening, and at the same time, harmless, because while the airplane’s shape recalls the violent reality of war, its paper consistency leaves us with the calmness that we are before a representation, through objects that still keep the connotations of children games. This double connotation of the paper plane is equivalent to the mixed tone (of refined brutality on one side, and of sophisticated unreality on the other) acquired by the representations of war in contemporary means of communication.

Iraq Sky is a work which is originated in gesture and in intervention. The photographs are impregnated with the sensation of instability which defines ephemeral images. Its implications are related to geopolitics, but they go beyond the fleeting location of the territory of conflict to have an impact on the imaginary aspect of war, presenting it as the collective ideal which we continue to face with a childish and ludicrous perversity.

By Juan Antonio Molina (translated by Leticia Consuegra)

Iraq Sky @ Mexico City

2009-12-09T11:10:00.000-08:00

My first solo show as a photographer in this unique place: EDS Gallery... See you there. Next Saturday december 12th at 12 pm, Atlixco 32, Condesa, Mexico City.

The opening night

2009-12-03T01:40:00.000-08:00

Over hundreds of visitors, a very smart selection of artists and pretty good energy on the air. This was last December the 1st at the opening of Arte Pequeño in the Mexican Gallery Terreno Baldio, this group show will be on until January 30th. www.terrenobaldio.com Portrait by Mud Heredia.

more pics from Arte Pequeño show

2009-12-03T01:28:00.000-08:00

Photo by Jimena Oliver. And the people kept coming and going.

Group show @ Mexico City

2009-11-30T08:47:00.000-08:00

Post-Natural @ Guatemala City

2009-11-19T12:17:00.000-08:00

This is from an exhibition called Post-Natural curated by Emiliano Valdés. Which explores how art reflects the issues of todays society, and in this case, those that has to do with saving the planet and respecting nature. Here are three paintings from my series "Recycled Landscapes". This is taking part in the Centro Cultural España in Guatemala City.

Auction @ The Museum of Modern Art -Mexico-

2009-10-30T16:41:00.000-07:00

From my series of photos of The Wish Project by G.I. comes this image. It was taken in a flight between London and Mexico City. And you can see two persons holding their hands in front of my piece.

The Wish Project on the Sky #9

2009-09-05T22:37:00.000-07:00

On a commercial flight of BA from London Heathrow Airpot to Mexico City International Airport. I left a post it with the word of wish on the window between two areas of the plane where the food is prepared. I did it just after the take off, then someone close the "blind" and put the post it on it. So the wish stay there until we landed to Mexico City. I guess I still believe in the power of the wish/desiree...

Recycled Landscapes

2009-08-03T11:26:00.000-07:00

I created this pieces for my last group show. This are landscapes made of oil painting on canvas by unknown or amateur authors. I found them on flee markets and I painted the sign of recycle on them.

TWP @ Mexico City

2009-07-31T19:28:00.000-07:00

José Saenz is wearing the creation I made with Malafacha -Mexican brand-. I took this photo today at my studio in Mexico City and it is part of a series of portraits of young people making a wish/desiree.

3 Wishes 4 London

2009-06-30T09:35:00.000-07:00

In this acrylic painting there are three wishes for London written with pencil. This was shown in a private view I had in Camden Town.

100 Wishes @ Zsona Maco 2009

2009-05-05T07:06:00.000-07:00

During the last edition of Zsona Maco, the contemporary art fair in Mexico City, I gave 100 wishes to the visitors. With white cotton cordons used as bracelets. I asked them to close their eyes, make a wish while I did the knot of it. Then, I asked them that every time they see it try to remember/visualize that specific wish. Then, when it comes true they must give me back the cordon and I will do a piece with it. Today, one week and a half after the art fair, at least three persons have told me that what they wish now is a reality. Keep wishing!

Photos courtesy of Armando Miguélez

TWP @ Tepeji del Rio, Mexico

2009-04-12T14:51:00.000-07:00

For the past 4 years I have been doing collective performances in different places. People is ask to write three wishes on a white paper, then in a circle we burn them while I ask them to visualized what they are wishing for. Then I ask for their email address and send them a photo with an abstract image created by me with that ashes.

This image has the ashes of this performance which took place in Tepeji del Rio, Mexico few weeks ago.

TWP @ El Reforma newspaper

2009-02-28T21:44:00.002-08:00

This was published on February 14th. Take notice that according with the note my name is Javier...

3 wishes, 3 flights

2009-02-28T21:20:00.000-08:00

2006, 2007, 2008 each year one photo in the plane. Flights between Mexico City and London. Making wishes on the air. Surviving.

TWP, Desear Luz 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5

2009-02-28T20:56:00.000-08:00

The light and the desire of wishing is related, is almost a metaphor. I took this photos in a commercial flight and in the post it is written Desea.

Self portrait @ the H Hotel

2009-01-27T05:00:00.000-08:00

Photos from the TWP @ the Hippodrome Hotel

2009-01-27T03:53:00.000-08:00

This is a series of photos I took from my intervention of the suite of the hotel all are reflections from the mirrors or the plastic of the frames or the place.

The Wish Project @ The 3rd floor suite 303 of the Hippodrome Hotel

2009-01-26T19:21:00.000-08:00

In this hotel boutique of Mexico City I did an installation with paintings, photos and a shirt-fashion. The Wis Project by G.I. is a work in progress I have develop for the past 5 years, and it aims to promote in today´s society the act of wishing. I started sending card with three wishes for the person who receive it, then creating abstract paintings with the ashes from the white papers where they write the wishes and then burn them. And this time I present a series of photos of commercial flight where I put post its with the the word wish, also in public phones. The paintings have secret wishes under it. And the shirt was created by me and the designers of the Mexican brand Malafacha. And this time I decided to leave the gallery and to show in a hotel suite and the weird thing is that every floor of the Hippodrome Hotel has a name and the one I got is call WISH...

A bed of wishes

2009-01-26T15:30:00.000-08:00

On a king size bed at the suite I placed 40 photos of different public phones of 40 different cities, each one with a post it that put on with the word wish in the local idiom. From Bangkok, to Paro -Bhutan- to New York City, Tokyo, Paris and Mexico City...

The Wish Project @ The suite 303 of the Hippodrome Hotel

2009-01-26T15:25:00.000-08:00

At the opening of the show at the suite and while it last, everybody who attended was ask to write a wish for an stranger and not to signed it. So there were dozens of wishes on the wooden wall on yellow post- its. The idea of participating the audience in any art show is important in my work.

Three wishes for the Gaza Strip

2009-01-26T15:12:00.000-08:00

This is a painting that contains three wishes for the Gaza Strip, to both parts. One for the politicians, one for the soldiers and one for the civilians that have died. This was on the living room of the suite of the Hippodrome Hotel.

TWP @ The Hippodrome Hotel

2009-01-26T14:57:00.000-08:00

Also I showed this piece that is a collaboration with the Mexican fashion brand Malafacha. And it was displayed in the toilet of the suite. It is a unique piece and is cotton with lykra.

The Wish Project of G.I. @ Glow magazine

2009-01-03T01:16:00.000-08:00

This is an article about my art work that is focus in promoting the act of wishing. Glow is a Mexican independent magazine that focuses on contemporary motivations, such as art and fashion.

Galería Cero @ Mexico City

2008-10-15T23:55:00.000-07:00

This new space is dedicated to promoted recent art. Along of the opening of the show of the american-spanish artist Armando Miguélez, I showed some photos through the intervention of the Changarrito. In deed, the director of this gallery 'discovered' Armando´s talent/work when he displayed his work in the Changarrito.

The Everyday Life photo series

2008-09-14T09:16:00.000-07:00

This is a series of photographs of objects that I have found in the street of London. One of my interest in art has to do with the everyday and this images tries to reflect this. The object were there, ready to tell a story, while been modify by their own context.

This series were shown in my graduation show at Central Saint Martins last summer.

Freedom, Give It To Me!

2008-08-12T15:36:00.000-07:00

This performance is about gay identity and the way capitalism plays a big part of the new stereotype. The music was Freedom from George Michael, one of the hymns for the gay community and Give it to me, one of the latest single of Madonna, who is also consider to be a gay icon. So the dancer, Antonio Blanco, wearing a mariachi outfit danced on a cow carpet painted as if it was from a zebra, so what you see is not `real´. At the end of the performance Antonio ended on the carpet without the possibility of escaping, as today´s gays are unable to

run away from the cliches and the demands from a capitalist system that has found a new and rich target in this community. The UK is one of the countries that has a large gay community who is very wealthy and there is also a pink gay UK flag, which was used in the performance.

@ Art Notes

2008-08-08T01:15:00.000-07:00

The Changarrito appeared in the Spanish art magazine called Art Notes, with an article about the last edition of FEMACO, Mexico City, showing work of young Latin American artist, such as Alan Favero, Rafael López, me, between others.

Protege Moi

2008-08-07T23:35:00.000-07:00

After some time away from the cameras I acted for this video-art piece created and directed by Irish artist Michael Gurhy. It is about lost of innocence and sexuality. In this short film also participate English actor-model Jonny Kight and Japanese visual artist Ari Shiratori. ¨Protege Moi¨ was shown in Central Saint Martins in June 2008 and will be show in different film festivals.

Working with Michael was such a good experience because he helped me to unfocused on acting and focus in the moment -presence- so the result was complete fresh.

I took these stills and soon I will post the video.

@ San Francisco

2008-05-22T08:40:00.000-07:00

One of the photos from Iraq Sky proyect is part of the Changarrito Collection, which has been shown in different places and countries. On the second week of May of this year it was the opening of the latest exhibition at Queen´s Nails Annex, this gallery is located in the Mission area. In this image you can see Irak Sky #3 along with the work of other artists. The show will run until the 13 of june, more info: www.queensnailsannex.com

@ The Third Bicycle

2008-05-20T10:01:00.000-07:00

This is in the opening of a group show in London late April @ the Lauderdale House. The Third Bicycle had the work of 22 international creators. This photo was taken by one of those, the Swedish photographer: Karl Larsson.

@ FEMACO -Feria México Arte Contemporáneo- 2008 Mexico City

2008-05-20T09:18:00.000-07:00

In front of Sketos Gabriele Gallery in FEMACO in the El Changarrito: this is creation of the Argentinean artist Máximo Gónzalez which aims to promote upcoming artist in art fairs, such as this one, or El Changarrito has also appeared in ARCO and Art Basel.

Love @ the Kingsgate Gallery London

2008-05-10T08:58:00.000-07:00

Plastic Red Love is acrylic on canvas and was part of a group show at the Kingsgate Gallery called Binoculars. (April 2008)

Color Fresh @ Covent Garden

2008-05-09T12:20:00.000-07:00

This is a series of photos that I took in the fashionable and commercial areas in London: Covent Garden, which is full of stores. And it is comment of how consumers reflects their wishes towards fashion. Also I am interest in the ephemeral of this communication. I showed this photos in a the Mexican Fashion Week called DFashion and it aims to have a dialogue with the audience about their relationship with fashion.

Color Fresh @ Covent Garden

2008-05-09T12:14:00.000-07:00

Irak Sky

2008-05-07T08:44:00.001-07:00

These photographs were taken while flying above Iraq whilst on a commercial flight from Dubai to London on 29th February, 2008. I made paper planes out of yellow post-its and stuck them on the window. It is comment on the war, on the world and on the hope, and I choose to use ‘Irak’ in Spanish and sky in English. The title is macaronic, using the English word `sky’ and the Spanish spelling of Iraq, `Irak’.

This work was first shown at the Concourse Gallery in London and then in Mexico City at FEMACO (Feria México Arte Contemporáneo), with buyers from international and Mexican galleries as well as collectors.

Irak Sky #1, #2, #3, #4 and #5

2008-05-07T08:41:00.000-07:00

London is Hot

2008-05-07T08:19:00.000-07:00

London is hot and I am tired
I slept 12 hours
but it seems that I need more dreams
why