Sabrina Amrani Art Gallery (Calle Madera, 23. Madrid. Spain) hosts the first solo show in Europe of Dubai based artist UBIK (India, 1985). \'’Dissident\', a show that perverts with black humor and satire the classic codes of propaganda. A crossword trying to resolve the Israel- Palestinian conflict, bottles of Coca-Cola serving as Molotov cocktails or a shirt with revolutionary marketing guidelines. A personal view on the absurdities of the world order with which UBIK expected to infuse and spread his "own brand of propaganda." So defined by the artist, "post-recession anarchist tendencies that make people smile ... or shake."

1. ‘Dissident’
by UBIK
From April 16th to May 26th, at Sabrina Amrani Art Gallery
Sabrina Amrani Art Gallery (Calle Madera, 23. Madrid. Spain) hosts the
first solo show in Europe of Dubai based artist UBIK (India, 1985).
'’Dissident', a show that perverts with black humor and satire the
classic codes of propaganda. A crossword trying to resolve the Israel-
Palestinian conflict, bottles of Coca-Cola serving as Molotov cocktails
or a shirt with revolutionary marketing guidelines. A personal view on
the absurdities of the world order with which UBIK expected to infuse
and spread his "own brand of propaganda." So defined by the artist,
"post-recession anarchist tendencies that make people smile ... or
shake."
UBIK will be unable to attend the opening of his first show in Europe.
He is still awaiting a visa to get out of UAE. In a way, this sums up the
spirit of his proposal, in his country of residence -UBIK is
Indian- to be anartist is not officially considered as a job. However the
many obstacles to attend this exhibition of his work, he says: "now that

2. the show is happening i find it amusing that i can't travel for the ope-
ning because of pending visa issues in dubai. it's ironic that i actually
am now in the position of being a 'dissident'”
This story is reflected in the piece which gives its name to the show,
‘Dissident’, in which a scanof the visa document of the artist-without-
official-job conforms a sort of self portrait. It is a good summary of the
conceptual direction that has taken the artistic production of the young
artist UBIK. Their proposals call for reflection, in search of a reaction of
the viewer as an integral part to the artistic production.
Sabrina Amrani exhibits a dozen of his works. The exhibition opens
with Breaking news, showing a glass podium that advises to break the
glass "in case of hysteria." The interior houses a remote control. With
it, UBIK denounces the state of tension aroused by media in the
ordinary citizen.
This same state of excitement, in this case associated with various
socio-political problems, is seen in A firm grip, which shows the above
bottles of Coca-Cola turned into Molotov cocktails.
Consumerism plays a important role in two of the proposed UBIK’s
artworks: A shuffle is haunting Europe, which stars an iPod Shuffle, and
The Revolution will be Mrerchandised, where the artist offers his vision
of the commercialization process of any revolution; ultimately, what
remains of them are the t-shirts with images or messages of revolutio-
nary leaders.
The text is the protagonist in the rest of the exhibition. In Presentence,
a plaque - such as those discovered by politicians and leaders in
inagurations- explores the notion of perpetrators and their lies, in
Pledge of Allegation the declaration of the rights of detainees becomes
an indictment of the lack of political freedom, while, I am away focuses
on censorship and Sermon reflects on the clash between religion and
ideology.
The exhibition concludes with Quote, that revolves about the delibera-

3. te prevention of press information by mass media; and One state
solution, which adresses the unresolved puzzle conflict between Israel
and Palestine.
PUBLIC OPENING
Monday, April 16th
Calle Madera, 23
20:00 Hours
For more information:
Galería Sabrina Amrani
00 34 627 539 884
sarah@sabrinaamrani.com
jal@sabrinaamrani.com
Madera 23. 28004 Madrid, Spain
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