From sequins, glass beads, rhinestones, plaster, paint, and more, Jorge Mañes Rubio sculpts new narratives from ancient tales. Drawing on the motifs of Spanish illuminated manuscripts, as well as family heirlooms and pop culture, the artist explores the relationship between past and present, reinterpreting religious imagery into unexpected forms like beaded basketballs and other functional objects.
One recent work, “La Noche que Desvela una Luz sin Medida,” fashions a black safety glove used by motocross racers into a form that evokes a medieval gauntlet. It’s embellished with flame motifs, twisted cord, glass, and tiny medallions that the artist’s great-grandmother collected at monasteries across Europe in the early 20th century. Situated on a handmade pedestal, it’s displayed like an important artifact or relic rather than a utilitarian garment.
“In Spanish, the word desvela carries a double meaning: to uncover, but also to remain awake because of vigilance or devotion, echoing the shimmering details that gleam all across this dark, armoured piece,” Rubio says in a statement. The glove is decorated with beaded flames and rows of colorful rhinestones while also incorporating the Fox Racing logo as a nod to the artist’s love of motocross, which is itself a passion passed down through the generations in his family.
Like many of Rubio’s works, the composition blends time-honored motifs with modern elements. “In this way, two opposite worlds collide: slow, time-consuming hand-embroidery techniques meet fast paced, bold graphics on cushioned protective gear; a motocross glove transformed into a contemporary reliquary.”
Additional pieces in Rubio’s ongoing New Prophets series include a chair with a hand-sculpted frame and a number of beaded reliefs in artist-made frames that reinterpret the aesthetic of medieval painted manuscript pages into glowing contemporary scenes. Find more on the artist’s website and Instagram.
