javier de riba illustrates ephemeral plants in front of tortosa’s historic courtyards
chalk drawings colorize these courtyards around the catalan city.
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while javier de riba may be best known for his spray painted compositions in abandoned urban landscapes, his latest series of work adopts a new medium and is situated in the public realm. for ‘romagueres’, de riba has used chalk to colorize courtyards around the catalan city of tortosa, adding a collection of hand-drawn brambles to the floor. the illustrated shrubbery takes on geometric forms, with thorny branches represented by sharply pointed triangles and vibrant abstract shapes.
realized for the a cel obert festival, a celebration of ephemeral artworks completed across courtyards in tortosa, ‘romagueres’ will slowly fade away as visitors pass over it. de riba has used chalk to express this impermanence, outlining a series of public artworks that will change saturation and style over time. the illustrations of each bramble plant depict a thorny stem with a vibrantly colored fruit at its center, formed by a series of abstract shapes and geometries. the choice of this botanical feature is no accident, de riba says: these courtyards are usually closed and don’t have much movement of people — perfect conditions for this plant to grow.
