Bilbao-born artist and illustrator Yubia (@yu_yubs) has been painting graffiti on the streets since 2002. Especially in the streets of Barcelona, where she has been living and working for more than ten years. With a markedly naive, even childish style, her signatures and full-color drawings coexist with the rawness of cement and urban asphalt, making them stand out with a clean and refined style. Specialized in web design and social media, the Basque artist works as a designer for Montana Colors and different urban brands have been her allies for artistic collaborations. On her own, she has produced t-shirts, pins, tote bags, prints… There is little that resists her, not even tattooing, and less than a year ago Yubia signed a collaboration with UrvanityLab materialized in a t-shirt with her little icons and drawings. In the middle of August, we talked to the artist to summarize in 10 minutes some of her basics. Ready?
Your first memory painting…I don’t have a clear memory of myself as a child, but I remember drawing.
The last thing you painted in the street… A wall with Hen.
Painting in the street or studio work… It depends on what I need in that moment: to have fun or enjoy myself.
Your fetish color… Paris Green.
Your work routine… I try to have one… but it keeps changing.
Who would you like to collaborate with… With Rosyone.
An artist you admire… So many! Rosyone, 2shy, Nano4814, Susie Hammer, miss17…
A lesser-known artist to recommend… Elena Gonzalez (Ele.zissou).
A pictorial style… Naive.
The work you have enjoyed the most… I enjoy just by having artistic freedom to paint whatever I like.
And the one you are most proud of… Designing the Foot Locker Kids area in Barcelona.
A turning point in your career… When I realized I knew what I wanted to do in my life.
Did you have a master? My friends.
Your work in three words? Cheerful, clean and childlike.
And your personality? Cheerful, stubborn and childlike.
A city to paint… Barcelona.
A special place for you… La Kantera skatepark in Getxo.
Animals or people? It depends on the moment.
An animal that represents you… Cats.
The last book you read? I don’t read much.
The last movie you’ve seen… Forrest Gump.
And series? Breaking Bad.
What music inspires you? Sometimes I feel like listening to music that I used to listen years back, it takes me to a different moment and I like to pursue that feeling when I’m creating.
A museum or art space…It’s not that I’m crazy about it but I remember it fondly, Guggenheim Bilbao, because it was the first museum I went to and I remember the feeling I had when I was inside.
A special mural you like? Signatures or walls that still survive.
A place to find you… Sant Antoni book market on Sundays.
A food that represents you… I just love to eat!
What do you fear? To feel alone.
Any fixations? I have too many to start with!
What can’t you stand? Machismo.
Alone or accompanied? I love to be by myself but I too need to have people around.
How do you waste your time? In anything I am not supposed to be doing.
A goal? To live doing what I love.
An ideal future… Traveling.
What do you miss? My family.
Your next work? Right now I’m waiting for the summer to pass to come back with recharged batteries.
A life mantra… Stay positive.
You can find Yubia x Uranity t-shirts in our Lab by clicking here.
