Zoobs

Zubair Ansari, known to the art world as Zoobs, is a contemporary artist renowned for his celebrity portraits that explore the complex relationship between parent and child, life and death.

Born in Chelsea, London in 1972, the early loss of his father and his belief that he will someday be reunited with him would later factor into his artwork. As a teenager, Zoobs was fascinated with images of perfection, showing an interest in fashion and photography.

He studied Fine Art at Slade School of Art and later gained a first class BA Honours degree in Graphic Design and Photography with a commendation in Art Direction at Kingston University in London. In the late 90's, he was awarded a scholarship to train under the mentorship of the renowned image-maker and colour-creator Serge Lutens at Shiseido Cosmetics International in Tokyo and Paris.

It was during this period he began to explore societies ongoing preoccupation with perfection and its correlation to the stability of the human persona. He employed varied practises of performance art, sculpture, painting, photography and graphic design.

Early works such as Dream Lover (2003), The Gambler (2003) and Fame (2004) caught the eye of Guy Hepner, who brought him to public attention in the 2004 Here/Now exhibition where he was featured amongst leading international artists and photographers such as David LaChapelle, Takashi Murakami, Rankin and Mario Testino.

His first solo exhibition in 2007 Ego Is The Enemy at The Salon Gallery, London marked the end to his exploration for perfection. The exhibition featured work such as The Eye (2003), I Dream Of Madonna (2004), Don’t Look Back (2005) and Morgue (2006)

This final bow welcomed in a new stage in his career that has now become what he is renowned for.

Until recently he has delved into a subject close to home, that of the complex relationship of parent and child, life and death and it's the impact on personal development. Through highly stylized photography, graphic design and painting combined with autobiographical poetry and prose, he created works such as Hollywood Scroll (2009), Gaganess (2010), Golden Pussy Cat (2010), Pink Aleph (2011), and Emerald Aleph (2011),

In a 2012 he created a series of canvassed celebrity portraits who earned their place due their own personal child/parental struggle for his 2012 solo exhibition Remix at Mew 42 Gallery, London. The exhibition featured Madonna in Madonna and Express Yourself (2012), Amy Winehouse in Back From Black (2011), Elton John in Elton Magic (2011), Prince William in King of Pop (2011), and Kate Middleton God Save The Future Queen (2011), purchased by Dolce and Gabbana and currently showcasing in their flagship store in Bond Street London, The portraits use his signature techniques to reveal images that are layered with splash points of exploding colour which partially mask and partially reveal the subject, using his signature autobiographical poem 'I Look For You'.

He now lives and works in between London, New York, and Los Angeles.

www.iamzoobs.com


His work has been exhibited at many institutions including:

1997 Shiseido Ltd ‘From Designers’ exhibition / Ginza Space, Tokyo
1998 Shiseido Ltd ‘From Designers’ exhibition / Ginza Space, Tokyo
2001 An Ideal of Perfection / Red Fort, Lahore
2004 Here and Now / Guy Hepner Gallery London
2005 Photo London / Royal Academy of Art
2007 Ego Is The Enemy / The Salon Gallery, London
2010 Zoobs vs Lodola / Opera Gallery, London
2011 One Is The Magic / Opera Gallery, London Blakes Hotel, London
2012 The Optimist – An art exhibition for world aids day, East Gallery, London 2012 Jungle City / Manhattan, Guggenheim, NYC
2012 Remix by Zoobs / Mews42 Gallery, London
2012 Hallowed Be Thy Name / Mews 42 Gallery, London
2012 Arts For India / Group show / Saatchi Gallery, London
2013 Consolidate The Experience / Ivy Brown Gallery, New York City

Artworks

Zoobs, Pussy Cat Pussy Cat Where Have You Been? (2010)