Saudi National Day: Rex Chouk Unveils An Exclusive New Piece of Art
Whether you see his colourful work on walls around the hot spots in Saudi, or it pops up on your feed while scrolling through Instagram, Rex Chouk knows how to leave an impression and make a statement
Since his return to the Kingdom in 2017, Rex Chouk, who – like Banksy – keeps his identity a secret, has built quite a buzz around his candy-coloured art pieces. His imagery uses Saudi touchpoints as inspiration, but comes filled with visual subtexts designed to speak to the modern Arab.
Who is Rex Chouk?
Rex was born in Saudi but spent some of his formative teenage years in the United States. That blending of cultural experiences is reflected in his artwork; pieces that on the surface look to be catering to a millennial pink, feelgood mindset but upon deeper inspection contain multiple layers of messaging.
Growing up, Rex was not surrounded by the world of art. It was a chance visit to an exhibition on the work of Keith Haring in New York that awakened his passion for self-expression through visual arts, and with it a realisation that art didn’t have to abide by pre-set parameters to have intrinsic value or cultural resonance. Haring’s impact on Rex’s artistic style is easy to see, as is its clever ability to use humour and innocuous characters to transmit messages about everything from the mundanity of day-to-day living to current affairs facing the region.
Rex might be both a private person and artist, but that shouldn’t be mistaken for shyness. Although he might remain anonymous, he makes sure that his presence is certainly not. In Saudi, his artwork crops up at almost every sporting or entertainment event, most recently at the Rage on the Red Sea boxing night in Jeddah. “I think culture inspires my art. I realised when I got into it that it documents the human experience,” he says about his work.
Rex is also far from being an introvert. He is in his element when he is working with others, building synergistic projects that are born through exchanging ideas and experiences. “I love collaborations the most! When I collaborate it’s always with a person or a brand that inspires me a lot,” he confirms.
Rex’s journey as an artist has evolved though the years. When he first got into the field, his medium was canvas. He then quite naturally expanded into the realms of digital art and graffiti. “The art supply shop was right next to my building when I was in New York, and when I got back to Saudi I was living in the same house as my family, so I found it easier to use my iPad or computer,” he explains.
“My creative journey is inspired by my surroundings in terms of culture, the people around me and what’s available in terms of art supplies and vibes.” But that’s not all. Rex has also moved into the fashion space. He has worked in collaboration with Saudi concept store Personage, designed a G-Shock watch with Casio and regularly releases vibrant abayas and T-shirts he has designed on his own website.
So why did Rex choose to go incognito and wear a mask? For this artist, it’s all about being a blank canvas. He believes that “perception is reality.” It’s human nature to be curious and always want to know more. But Rex leaves his audience room to project their own truth onto the art he creates without having to view it through the prism of the artist as an individual. “I want to evoke this curiosity in people, to get them to wonder: ‘who is that guy?’” says the elusive artist.
Images courtesy of the artist
From Harper’s Bazaar Saudi’s Autumn 2022 issue