javier de riba enlivens abandoned spaces with new spray painted tile floors

javier de riba has recently completed three new spray painted tile floor installations in cities across spain — in tenerife, tarragona, and barcelona. the colorful additions enliven previously underutilized or abandoned spaces, giving new life to forgotten architecture and urban environments. previously, de riba’s interventions have been sited in locations from an abandoned 5-star hotel in portugal to historic courtyards in tortosa. 

recently, de riba completed work inside an abandoned hotel on the island of tenerife. the series includes a pair of colorful tiled compositions, geometrically organized and spray painted on the ground. the artist continued his patterned faux-tiles imprinted on concrete surfaces in the spanish city of tarragona. in a deteriorated public area, de riba painted a small open square with a vibrant red, blue and white graphic composition, enlivening the previously disused space for the residents and neighbors. finally, in barcelona, a colorful teal and red piece infills the floor of an abandoned building, re-defining the site and changing the perception of this forgotten space.