Medieval Motifs and Pop Culture Converge in Jorge Manes Rubio's Beaded Sculptures

"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."

""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."

""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."

Everyday objects are transformed with sequins, glass beads, rhinestones, plaster, and paint into sculptural reliquaries that fuse medieval motifs with contemporary iconography. Inspirations draw from Spanish illuminated manuscripts, family heirlooms, and pop culture, reinterpreting religious imagery as functional objects like beaded basketballs and embellished protective gear. A motocross safety glove is remade into a medieval-like gauntlet, embellished with beaded flames, twisted cord, glass, and tiny monastery medallions from the artist's great-grandmother, and presented on a handmade pedestal as a relic. The work juxtaposes slow hand-embroidery with bold, fast graphics and appears in the New Prophets series alongside chairs and beaded manuscript-like reliefs.

Read at Colossal