Our newest addition to the 20x200 artist roster, Ruben Natal-San Miguel, gives us a fresh perspective on the city we love with his two editions, Glamour Break Diva (#2) and Untitled (Balloons).
Glamour Break Diva (#2) by Ruben Natal-San Miguel
10"x8" ($24) | 14"x11" ($60) | 20"x16" ($240) | 24"x20" ($600)
New York City may be known for its skyline—a mass of iconic skyscrapers and bridges—but what makes it truly New York is its people. We are the teeming energy of the city, we are what keeps it from sleep. And no one captures that as consistently and honestly as Ruben Natal-San Miguel.
Coming off his recent successful show, Vanishing New York, we are thrilled to have Ruben debut two of his pieces as 20x200 editions: Glamour Break Diva (#2) and Untitled (Balloons). An avid art collector (and supporter of 20x200 since its earliest days!), Ruben began shooting when he moved to Harlem. That was 14 years ago, and he hasn't looked back.
Part of what makes Ruben's work notable is its range: both in subject and in physical space. He photographs the city from the far reaches of Brooklyn to the uppermost parts of the Bronx, focusing on the brief and beautiful moments in the lives of everyday New Yorkers.
Untitled (Balloons) by Ruben Natal-San Miguel
8"x10" ($24) | 11"x14" ($60) | 16"x20" ($240) | 20"x24" ($600)
When he photographs the people of New York City, Natal-San Miguel's work shines. Glamour Break Diva (#2), from a series of women at their neighborhood salons, immediately stood out to us. There’s an almost regal elegance to our diva: imagine the hairnet and curlers as an elaborate crown, her glitzed-up nails as bejeweled hands, her slim cigarette as her scepter of choice.
And just as we’re ready to let go of summer and fully embrace fall, Natal-San Miguel gives us Untitled (Balloons). Its golden warmth immediately calls to mind days spent lounging on the beach, wandering the boardwalk, and going to Luna Park. Is there a more exemplary New York City summer day than one spent at Coney Island? We think not.
Any die-hard New Yorker knows that these are the kinds of fleeting moments that make the city worth living in, as much as her stunning skyscrapers and bridges. Celebrate the everyday beauty of New York City with Ruben Natal-San Miguel's editions!
With art for everyone,
Team 20x200
