Have you ever tried solving a Rubik’s cube? You know, those colorful cubes that seem to mock you with their scrambled sides? They can be real head-scratchers, can’t they? Well, it turns out you’re not alone if you find them a bit tricky—I mean, fun fact: only about 5% of people worldwide can solve one of such mind-bending puzzles.
But what if I told you there’s a ‘someone’ out there who’s not just solving these cubed-thing-of-a-jigs but also turns them into beautiful works of art?
Meet Julia Casquejo, an 18-year-old Rubik’s cube mosaic artist. You heard that right. Instead of just solving said puzzle prism, she’s making masterpieces out of them—an art form that harnesses that of the complexities of a Rubik’s cube and turns it into a much more intricate piece.
Now, before we dive into Casquejo’s story, let’s try to first envision how hard it is to play with a Rubik’s cube.
Did you know that there are over 43 quintillion (that’s 43 followed by 18 zeros) possible combinations on a standard 3×3 Rubik’s cube? That’s mind-boggling, isn’t it? Yet, hidden within those seemingly chaotic configurations are patterns waiting to be discovered—oh wait, correction: considering this story’s heroine, I guess it’s safe to say “…have already been discovered.”
Cubism Redefined
Casquejo, a resident of Ragay, Camarines Sur, is a self-taught Rubik’s Cube Mosaic artist who first learned how to solve a cube back when she was just a snot-nosed 12-year-old sapling.
At first, her sole focus was on solving her near-hundred variations of cubes as fast as she could—well, not until that one seemingly-hotter-than-usual afternoon of July 6, 2022.
Frustrated by her inability to beat that of her existing speed records, Casquejo began to instead challenge her cube-mastery by arranging colored squares into different yet specific patterns. Soon enough, she found herself creating intricate designs, from simple shapes to merging approximately 100 cubes, each with distinct patterns, to form her very first Rubik’s cube mosaic piece—a portrait of Jesus.
“I never really thought it’d be possible for me na makabuo ng portraits using my cubes, which is why when I discovered na kaya ko pala, it was like discovering a whole new world,” Casquejo stated.
“Sa mga oras na yun, nakafocus talaga ako sa speedcubing—kung paano ko mabubuo ang mga cubes ko nang mabilisan. But everything changed when I challenged myself kung kaya ko bang iachieve ang random pero specific patterns—it was only by then that I truly realized how each twist and turn reveals not only a unique pattern but a piece of art itself,” she recalled.
Cube Conundrum
What started as a pastime gimmick for Casquejo quickly turned into what she now sees as her “genuine passion.” From then, she began experimenting with different portraits, creating more complex artworks, and even taking things to a much further level by adding 300 more cubes to her craft—there seemed to be no limit to the possibilities.
However, it is worth noting that Casquejo’s story wasn’t without its challenges. Working with Rubik’s cubes to form what one might consider an actual piece of art requires an unparalleled sense of precision and patience—one wrong move could ruin hours of work. Yet, it’s precisely these challenges that keep Casquejo craving to indulge more in her craft.
“Hard? Yes. It’s like solving a puzzle within a puzzle—imagine how hard that is,” Casquejo explained.
“But with the satisfaction I feel every time a piece fits perfectly with the others, in its own unique way, it makes me want to really push forward with my craft,” she furthered, emphasizing how magical it is to turn chaos into order and how it serves as a reminder, for her, that beauty can truly be found in the most unexpected places—even on ones bearing the complexities capable of having someone lose a bit of his/her sanity.
So far, Casquejo’s artistic endeavors have yet to receive widespread recognition, but those fortunate enough to lay their eyes on her mosaics are left utterly in awe and disbelief as they ponder upon the intricacies of her work, wondering just how such complexity is achieved.
As for what’s next for Casquejo, the possibilities are endless. After all, with each new cube she do so twist and turn comes new opportunities to create something truly extraordinary.
Taking that into account, the next time you find yourself staring at a Rubik’s cube, you might want to remember that of Casquejo’s story and try to at least picture out the possibilities a single cube possesses. Who knows? Maybe you have what it takes to also be a Rubik’s cube mosaic artist.
And perhaps, just perhaps, you’ll also be able to see the world a little differently, one colorful cube at a time. | Kian Kirby F. Florano
Photo: Julia Casquejo