REVERSIBLE EYE began as an art magazine and comp tape label in the early 1990‘s, going simply by the title Reversible at that time. The label/zine was created by artist Karim Shuquem to share his music, drawings, thoughts, and interests, as well as those of his friends. In the early 2000s, having moved from Los Angeles to Oakland, California, Shuquem turned the ‘zine into a website and booked the first art event associated with the label, effectively changing Reversible Eye into an event promotions and arts curating group while still releasing an occasional record or tape. Again moving, this time to Chicago, Karim Shuquem opened Reversible Eye Gallery with his wife, Elena Brocade, in 2005.
Together they curated art exhibitions and events based around themes such as puppets (The Puppet and Doll Show), graffiti and stencil art (Public Image Enemy), color limitations (Red White and Blue), and fashion (Excesstential Style), as well as, working with various community organizations (Puerto Rican Cultural Center and Arts of Life) and individual artists such as Panacea Theriac, Nicholas Kashian and Christopher Ilth.
Reversible Eye remains an umbrella to Karim and Elena's careers and collaborations now in the Los Angeles area.