Xavier Robles de Medina
Rajio Taiso

Xavier Robles de Medina’s drawing Rajio Taiso (study) is based on a series of etchings by Frans Huys, a 16th century Flemish engraver who worked for Pieter Bruegel de Oude. Robles de Medina noticed how Huys’ etchings incorporate images from around the world during the early stages of the European Colonial Project.

To create the drawing, Robles de Medina plotted ten to fifteen of Huys’ mask etchings on top of each other in photoshop, playing around with the transparency and eraser tools to find the most recurring forms. Following this digital collage process, he manually plotted the form onto gridded paper using a pencil.

What is interesting about this drawing is how it uncovers inherited hierarchies, and connects the history of colonization to the role of the artist assistant. By exploring the work of Huys and the ways in which he appropriated images from around the world, Robles de Medina is calling attention to the ways in which colonialism has shaped contemporary visual culture.

The title of the drawing, Rajio Taiso, is a reference to the Japanese exercise that Robles de Medina would do every morning in unison with his colleagues while working at Kaikai Kiki, where he assisted Takashi Murakami.