When we first came across The X Portrait we thought the X alluded to collaborations. Turns out we were wrong. The team behind the project are using the x as a mathematical symbol to denote the unknown.
The team is secretive about their members and prefer that the attention is focused on their art and not on them. Luckily for bazaar we got to speak to them to find out more about who they are and what drives their thought-provoking fusion style portraits. Right now, they are a two- person team who create new art by combining old portraits with new concepts, photos and ideas. We were surprised to learn that they were both self-taught artists with full-time careers in non-artsy industries too.
إ ّستيراد و Part of their tagline on Instagram is which roughly translates to importing ت ّصدير ثقا َفه and exporting culture. The other part mentions culture shock. And their entire body of work revolves around the idea of merging very different things in time, space and culture. They take century-old paintings and overlay them with very modern-day imagery. It drives the point home that we might be different, but we are all still very human and more alike than we imagine.
The X Portrait team are intentionally trying to shock their audience with an atmosphere of fusion. They believe that we are all living in a state of confusion, or a feeling that we are mixed up about our culture somehow, and by sharing their visuals they want to show us that the sentiment is rather a universal one, and that it is ok.
The artwork is sneaky in a way that if you don’t really look at it, they just look portraits from a bygone era. And then you take a closer look and notice that there’s a restaurant sign that you know or a coffee shop that you frequent. There’s a subtle complexity to the approach because every time you look at the art you notice something different.
The artists use a combination of photoshop, hand drawings and photos to create the finished object. We’re definitely not art experts, but we feel confident enough to label it as mixed-media post-modernist art. There is a faint implication of our over consumption as a culture and materialism that is also prevalent, telling of a current era where mall outings are the norm and consumption is no longer an extravagance like it used to be.
They started the project as a fun side-hustle and a creative outlet to release pressure and explore a range of their emotions, which has since grown into something larger. Brands are now approaching them to create bespoke portraits for them. And while they don’t like turning people down, they’re still selective about the projects they undertake because they don’t want to produce work they aren’t intensely proud of.
Lucky for us, we can all own a limited edition piece of art, since they do sell hoodies. The drops are quite small and sell out fast. The team found it challenging sourcing high-quality materials and printing, which for them was a top-priority. But the real challenge is dealing with copycats. Other companies are using X Portrait designs to sell their own products without permission or license. Which takes us to the issue of copyright.
The X Portrait only uses art that has entered the public domain as a base and make enough additions to it, so it is transformative. The theft and misuse of intellectual property has long been a problem locally and around the world, which has forced The X Portrait to add a watermark to all the images that they share online as a result
The X Portrait team are still surprised at the amount of attention they’ve gotten. When they started they had no idea that people would so easily see and find themselves in their art, but it goes to show how much we, as humans, just want to feel connected and part of something bigger.
TRUTH OR DARE QUESTIONNAIRE
How would your mother describe you in one word?
Neat and Sleepyhead.
How would you describe your mother in one word?
Our World.
What is the most ridiculous question you’ve ever been asked?
So you’ll have ONE cheeseburger?
What is the most spontaneous thing you’ve ever done?
An unplanned traveling/road trip.
What is your theme song?
The Final Countdown.
What word in the English or Arabic language do you wish you had invented?
Epiphany.
Where would you like to live?
In a pineapple under the sea!
What is your dream retirement location?
Somewhere that is quiet with a great landscape view and coffee … a lot of coffee.
What is the first famous quote that comes to your mind?
تجري الرياح كما تجري سفينتنا نحن الرياح و نحن البحر .و السفن
Which animal best describes your perfect partner, be it in business, or in life?
Koala.
Do you miss anything from your childhood and if so, what is it?
90’s happy meal toys.
If you could change your name, to what would you change it?
The Y Portrait.
How would you describe your handshake, in one word?
A secret handshake..It’s like a normal handshake, but cooler.
What is the toughest part of your character?
Very detail oriented.
Who is your favorite historical figure?
Let’s say Tesla because Edison is getting all the attention.
What in the world do you least desire?
The morning alarm.
What do you think is lacking in the world, [if there were more of it] would make the world a better place?
Understanding, and also normalizing chocolate cake for breakfast.
Why do you think most people who do, like you?
Can you blame them?!
Finish this sentence: “Happiness is…”
“… is simple ! Enjoy the small victories of life.”
Follow @thexportrait on Instagram to find out more.
