Dubai, UAE
An award-winning, modern artist
Vivek Premachandran, aka UBIK, is a self-taught graphic designer and graffiti-inspired artist currently making waves in Dubai.
Where did you get the tag ‘UBIK’ from?
Philip K Dick’s novel, UBIK. I love the idea of ubiquity.
How did you become an artist?
I dropped out of fashion school and had to make a living. Art was something I could teach myself so I spent 15-16 hour days in coffee shops drawing. But art only took off as a career when I came to Dubai at the age of 21, three years ago.
How would you describe your style?
Geometric. Philosophically and artistically I’d say deconstruction and clichés form a large part of my work. I love finding fake and negative perspectives in work. I’m taken by the fact that everything and everyone in life is a cliché, it’s impossible to escape them.
What media do you use?
Pens, spray paint, wood and paper. I’ve also done about eight murals at people’s homes and offices including one at DKNY in Dubai.
Is graffiti a growing art form in Dubai or the Middle East?
In the Middle East, yes, but in Dubai, no. I’d love to go out and spray in Dubai, but I can’t. Even Saudi has a graffiti park so that kids stay out of trouble. You know there’s a big graffiti scene coming out of Iran, Lebanon and Egypt
What inspires you?
Urban decay. In Sharjah there’s a lot of rust and decay, cuts and scrapes in the paint and architecture, which a lot of people don’t get to see. In Dubai, there are some crazy geometrics at work in the endless construction. A lot of that goes into my art.
Have you won any awards?
I won an award from Diesel. I entered two days before the deadline. I wanted to do something edgy and get it through so I did a visual of The Beatles’ Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds and it won! I thought they were joking when they called me.
What’s the most difficult aspect of being an artist?
Selling myself: I really need an agent. Also there isn’t a very critical culture here. I only ever receive good press. Few people actually give me honest feedback.
What’s the best aspect of being an artist?
Working live in front of an audience is a real buzz. I had my first in–residence solo exhibition at The Jam Jar in Dubai. I worked my fingers off for ten days straight although I have arthritis, which doesn’t help.
What informs your style?
MC Escher. I learned all my technique and perspectives from his work. Another of my all time favourites is Magritte’s work because it’s so simple yet so impactful. I also have a natural tendency towards reading philosophy and psychology. I’m fascinated by the criminal mind and human behaviour and it comes through in my art.
Who are your idols?
Banksy, Barry McGee, Phil Frost, Blu... so many of them.
What’s next for UBIK?
I’m planning to move into a more visual and multi-media based form, but more on that later.
