Wall Drawing 2025.Berlin
1.- Data
- Title: Wall Drawing 2025.Berlin
- Art and Project: Olabe Basogain
- Collaborators: (see list below)
- Technique: Marker and Paint on Canvas
- Size: 4 paintings of 70cm x 70cm and 1 painting of 1.5m x 1.5m
- Date: May 2025
- Place: Second Floor Hall - Vitoria-Gasteiz School of Engineering
2.- Description
The Wall Drawing 2025.Berlin series is composed of five abstract portraits that explore identity through the language of graphic design and visual geometry. Each work is constructed from planes of color, lines of symmetry, and fragmentation that allude to the multiplicity of the contemporary self.
Inspired by currents of conceptual art, modern architecture, and structured thinking, this series uses marker and paint techniques on textile or rigid supports and proposes a reflection on perception, figure, and form.
The name Berlin evokes the cultural legacy of a city marked by visual experimentation, architectural rationality, and constant transformation: a symbolic setting for this exploration between the human and the graphic.
This series was created in conjunction with the Wall Drawing 2025.Luanda series, a series of textile portraits that explore minimal lines and intimate expression through techniques such as marker, embroidery, and chain stitch, in dialogue with texture, rhythm, and material memory.
The works in Wall Drawing 2025.Luanda and Wall Drawing 2025.Berlin incorporate a variety of graphic and textile techniques that expand the material language of the project. Textile markers on white canvas, acrylic paint, embroidery with synthetic and natural threads, and chain stitch with rattail, a shiny and durable textile cord, have been used. This mix of materials generates visual surfaces with different densities, textures, and levels of detail.
The main support for the pieces is 100% polyester white canvas, an opaque, rigid, and durable fabric commonly used for stretcher bars, awnings, or decoration. Its smooth surface allows for both continuous strokes and more material techniques, offering a stable base for exploring the relationship between line, gesture, and volume. The use of chain stitch and embroidery thread introduces a tactile dimension that connects the stroke with the bodily rhythm of handwork.
The use of canvas as an artistic medium poses functional advantages and certain ethical considerations. Some of the canvas used in this project have sustainability certificates that attest to their responsible production, positioning them as environmentally friendly options in the context of textile art. These recycled polyester or controlled production versions represent a step toward more conscious practices within the university art world.
However, the use of canvas also presents challenges. Its texture can be somewhat rough, and its sometimes industrial appearance does not always favor a refined aesthetic. Furthermore, its color absorption capacity is limited, which can affect the intensity or uniformity of the paint. These technical limitations are also opportunities: they invite us to explore alternative forms of application and combination of materials, allowing the fabric to actively dialogue with the work rather than being a mere passive support.
Along with these two series of works, two large-format works are also on display in the first-floor hall of the School of Engineering: Wall Drawing 2025. Merida and Wall Drawing 2025. Napoli. These collaborative graphic installations are composed of more than 2,000 modules printed on fabric, forming "abstract forests" of chromatic trees. They engage with the architectural and natural environment, expanding the project's visual and material language through the use of textures and the physical presence of the materials.
All these works were created within the framework of the Collaborative STEAM Art for Open Educational Spaces program, promoted with the support of the University Projection call from the Vice-Rector's Office of the Álava Campus. The activity invites the design and creation of cultural banners inspired by our environment and identity, through collaborative processes, shared creativity, and the use of STEAM techniques applied to art. Thus, the work is not only a visual result, but also part of a collective process of exploration, reflection, and creation.
The spirit of Collaborative STEAM Art is that of an evolving university platform, open to new ideas, intergenerational collaboration, and the blending of languages and knowledge. Initiatives like this not only enrich the educational environment but also expand the role of the university as a cultural, social, and transformative agent.
3.- Wall Drawing 2025.Berlin – Prism
Description:
The face is composed of planes of color that fragment like a prism. Each area reflects a different direction, playing with light, symmetry, and geometric balance.
- Size: 70x70 cm
- Technique: Marker on a rigid support.
4.- Wall Drawing 2025.Berlin – Icon
Description:
A powerful, graphic, frontal face. The dark glasses and pure colors create a strong, almost digital identity. It evokes a symbol, a solid presence.
- Size: 70x70 cm
- Technique: Marker on a rigid support.
5.- Wall Drawing 2025.Berlin – Rhythm
Description:
A dynamic portrait. The lines and colors are arranged in shapes that suggest a pulsation, a visual vibration. Each angle has a unique energy.
- Size: 70x70 cm
- Technique: Painting on a rigid support
6.- Wall Drawing 2025.Berlin – Threshold
Description:
Unlike other portraits in the series, the eyes are present here. An emotional openness is generated: the face looks at us from an open, more human geometry.
- Size: 70x70 cm
- Technique: Painting technique on rigid support
7.- Wall Drawing 2025.Berlin – Mirror
Description:
The most abstract and horizontal piece in the series. The mirrored glasses invite a symbolic reflection on the gaze of the other and the projected self.
- Size: 150x150 cm
- Technique: Painting on a rigid support
