In his continued, self-described efforts to develop “his visual language and technique,” Russian artist Rustam Qbic completed a new work titled “Under the Roof” on August 17th. This beautiful, most recent piece from the renowned artist can be found in Helsingør, Denmark where Kunstosbyrum Helsingør Kommune organized its completion and Elisabetta Saiu worked to curate it.
“Under the Roof” proves an exciting new chapter in the story of Rustam’s creative journey. This journey began with the artist’s education at the Kazan Art School, where his biography explains he “worked with illustration, design and graffiti and taught at the Children’s School of Design.”
Rustam’s formal education eventually led the artist to turn his gaze from graffiti to classical painting, as he “replaced the letter-based works with surrealist storytelling pictures and characters.” Rustam’s new direction “was first revealed at his debut solo show in 2013 at the Street Kit Gallery in Moscow”
Laden with symbolism, “Under the Roof” carries on Rustam’s trajectory to create work that carries “universal messages of love, knowledge, and spirituality.” Encyclopedia Britannica explains that Helsingør, known to the English-speaking world as Elsinore, is one of the nation’s most prominent commercial and administrative centers. Furthermore, the city’s “leading economic factors include the port facilities, varied and mostly small-scale manufacturing and tourism.” To a viewer unacquainted with the city, “Under the Roof” originally appears to have an agricultural connotation, that doesn’t quite seem to fit with the city’s reputation. Upon closer inspection, the viewer finds the figure actually stands in a field of sunflowers.
In his communications regarding the mural, Rustam has chosen to leave its message ambiguous, in the hands of the viewers’ interpretations. When given even closer consideration, it also seems to stand out that the work’s central figure has an overall complexion analogous to the blonde-haired blue-eyed citizens often associated with Denmark.
ProFlowers.com, along with several other knowledgeable sources, explain that sunflowers symbolize loyalty. Further dissecting hidden messages within the mural, the viewer notes that the figure’s shirt also holds a window. Above him, where he hoists up the building’s roof, the viewer can see that it really depicts the open pages of a book. Perhaps then, given the city’s importance as both a tourism and commercial hub, Rustam’s latest work espouses the timely, inclusive message that in today’s rapidly globalizing society, anyone can belong anywhere so long as they maintain a loyalty to the place’s beauty and a commitment to carrying its story forward. In branching out, these new pioneers make our communities richer. They embody our own local portals to the rest of the world.
While this potential message would certainly uphold Rustam’s mission to create works that build an atmosphere of a more loving society, only the artist himself holds the secrets to the work’s true intentions. Regardless though, the mural’s sunny atmosphere, featuring realism enhanced by bright colors and striking contrast inarguably exudes a sense of divine appreciation for the beautiful world that surrounds us. Thanks to these attributes, every viewer’s unique perspective will certainly bring them to a place of spiritual growth and a radiating warmth. This place looks different for everyone. Rustam respects each viewer so much that he allows them to define what it looks like for themselves, based on their personal experiences in this beautifully chaotic, diverse society we’ve all found ourselves in.
