Sandra Ramos

Sandra Ramos (born 1969) is a visual artist from Cuba known for her surrealist expression of her relationship to Cuba’s political and social situation.

Early life and education

Sandra Ramos was born in Havana, Cuba where she still continues to live and work. Although Ramos doesn’t come from a family of artists, she was nonetheless still heavily inspired by painter Gloria González who was a close friend of Ramos’ grandmother. At age twelve, the young artist began to study art in Havana's Escuela Elemental de Artes Plásticas. She continued her studies at the prestigious San Alejandro Art Academy and the Superior Institute of Art in Havana where she was instructed by notable artists like José Bedia, Leandro Soto and Carlos Cárdenas, among others.^[1]

Career

Ramos began her career as an artist during Cuba's "Special Period." This period began in 1990 and was a result of the dissolution of the Soviet Union (USRR) and the embargo that the United States imposed on Cuba.^[2]

Cuba’s “Special Period” was marked by a declining economy that negatively affected the quality of life of all Cubans. During this period of time, many people left Cuba, including her then-husband who left in 1992. In reference to this experience, Ramos stated, "It was a very hard time for me… I had to decide whether I was going to follow him or not." ^[3] Ramos decided to stay. The personal experiences that derived from these hardships are what propelled the content of her work, which communicated a sense of isolation, grief, and loss.^[1] In 2003, the artist hinted at the way in which her experiences of living in Cuba affected her art by saying, "My work is too related to my life there and my life would change a lot if I left."^[1] In 1993 Sandra Ramos became a teacher at the ISA - Higher Institute of Art, a job that she held up until 1998. Since then, she has continued her involvement in the art world. According to her website, “…she has being Curator of the 7 editions of La Huella Múltiple event and other Cuban Contemporary Art exhibitions. She imparted conferences and workshops in International Institutions and Universities as The CUNY Post Graduate Center NY, Wake Forest University, George Mason University Washington, The University of Havana, L' Ecole deux Beaux Arts Paris, Barbican Center in London, The School of the Fine Arts Museum in Boston, Lowe Art Museum, Florida University, Fuchu Art Museum, Tokyo, among others.^[4]

Style and technique

Ramos uses a variety of mediums for her art, which include, paintings, etchings, collage, installations, and digital animation.^[1] However, the medium for which she is most renowned is engraving.^[5]

When speaking about what artistic medium she prefers, Ramos stated: "While engraving continues to be my favorite medium, I wanted to expand the expressive and communicative potential of my work through a new digital medium. Digital animation allows me to elevate my storytelling capabilities by creating a temporal continuity for my small vignettes".^[6]

Themes

Ramos has been explicit about how her art, not only intersects with social, political, and global issues, but also is made with intent of making a critical statement about the future.^[6] She does this by using a paradox of contradictions of idealism. In her art, she expresses deep feelings of loss and mourning that are associated with choices of her family, friends, and her partner in life. She explores the trauma that came with the break of all of these ties and the consequent feelings of loneliness and hopelessness that ensued.^[1]

In addition, she is known for the visual expression of her relationship to Cuba’s political and social realities, especially those that relate to the Cuban diaspora. Throughout her body of work, the artist uses familiar characters from literature, history, and folklore that not only creates context for her work, but also voices her political or social opinions.^[7]

One common motif in her work is using a character named Ariadne. The artist presents Ariadne as a young girl whose visage seems innocent, guiltless, and unaware of life’s struggles.^[8] The character’s face is a self-portrait of the artist that is utilized in a surreal context similar to that of the protagonist from Alice in Wonderland. The artist appropriates this fictional context to make commentary on life in contemporary Cuba. Her work lends itself to be a narrative that plays on the adventures of Alice in Wonderland, but instead her character is a child-like explorer of Cuba under the Fidel Castro regime.^[7]

By choosing to name her character Ariadne, Ramos alludes at Greek mythology. Ariadne is the name of goddess who is the daughter of King Minos of Crete and his wife Pasiphae. In her story, she falls in love with Athenian hero, Theseus, and plays a crucial role in helping him slay the Minotaur. In return, she expects him to marry her and to take her back to Athens. However, Theseus abandons Ariadne on the island of Naxos (Connor).

Another common theme in Ramos’ piece is the use of water that emphasizes a physical separation to express a sense of isolation and to, as well as demonstrating the fluidity in her life.

Awards

1993: Grand prize for the National Printmakers Salon in Havana.^[7]

Critical reception

When speaking about the artist, Cuban art critic and curator Gerardo Mosquera, Ramos is “.. an artist who surrenders her biography, her most intimate feelings and her own body to discuss social, political and cultural problems, has said of her work…She uses her portrait to personify the Cuban flag, the island, establishing a parallel between her personal situation and the suffering of her own country." ^[1]

References