GABRIEL URIST sneaker jeweller

Gabriel Urist is a 25 year old Brooklyn resident who produces the finest sneaker jewellery seen to this day. I met Gabriel in Barcelona at the vernissage of one of his first official exhibitions ever. A super relaxed person stood in front of me and talked about his work which he calls the „Custom Bling“ – as though it was normal to put out things like these. The exhibition I saw at the Trust Nobody Gallery, which had recently opened its doors, was such a feast for the eyes. It featured Urist’s own customized designs of various sneaker styles like the Dunk, the Air Max or the Jordan 4, all made from pure silver and gold. Another highlight is the Nike SB P-Rod model which he exclusively produced for the young gun skateboard ripper Paul Rodriguez. Apart from his fascination for sneakers, Urist’s work gives evidence of his love for basketball. On top of all that, there are nice things coming from New York for the ladies, too. Check them out if you haven’t already, for Urist’s jewellery is a must-have not only for sneaker addicts. Pieces of the collection are sold in some of the best stores worldwide such as Colette Paris, Slam Jam Italy, Supreme or Alife Rivington Club in NYC, just to name some of them. We had the honour to pose the artist some questions about his life, his work and his motivations.

When and how did you start?
I lived with my grandparents in Brooklyn when I was 15. That's when I decided I wanted to work as an artist. I used to paint out on their fire excape. I painted a lot. When I was 17 I took a metalsmithing class. That's when I started making jewellery. I got a job as a polisher. I worked for a lot of jewellers and artists before I went solo, making my jewellery full time.

I saw your exhibition at the Trust Nobody Gallery in Barcelona. There are a lot of sneakers shown, so why did you choose sneakers?
I played in my first basketball league when I was 9 years old, competed all through high school. As I got more into painting and jewellery, the less I was playing ball. One day I decided to re-incorporate the game of basketball into my life. If I wasn't working as a jeweller, I’d probably be a basketball coach somewhere, or working with the team, or helping out in some. Basketball is my favourite thing. I did a jewellery line devoted to the game of basketball. I made tiny basketball players out of silver and gold. After that came the sneakers.

Are you a sneaker collector?
I have a small collection. Yes. I like sneakers.

Let’s talk about your clients including big names like Reakwon, Kanye West or Spike Lee. Did you ever meet them personally?
I met Reakwon at his show. He’s got a chain. Ghostface I met in Las Vegas, he’s got a chain. Kanye was blessed with a chain at his party and Spike I’ve yet to meet. I made a special piece for him that was presented to him in Bobbito's TV show "It's the shoes".

What do you think will you be in five years?
In five years, I’d like to be doing what I’m doing now, in a larger space with a basketball court in it. That's the goal. Ha, my own basketball court in my workshop.

Any planned projects for the future?
Future plans consist of a lot of work. That's all I can see right now. Hard work and little get aways every now and then. Nothing too specific. I love what I’m doing. I’m gonna keep making my jewellery and keep going places. Peace!

www.gabrielurist.com | Text und Interview: Marcus Ludwig | Studio Pics: Ports Bishop