Joely Ramo

Year of birth: 2002
Where do you live: South Florida
Your education: Highschool diploma from Nova SouthEastern University, Bachelors in General Fine Arts, with a minor is Printmaking and Critical Theory from Maryland Institute College of Art.
Describe your art in three words: Esoteric, Psychedelic, Spiritual
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Can you tell us more about how your background in Kabbalah and Buddhism influences your artistic practice?

Our roots in Kabbalah stem from our upbringing in Judaism. Our family would participate in the general culture, ensuring that each holy day was experienced. We also went to Hebrew school for a large part of our childhood, which allowed us to understand the Torah on a deeper level and prepare us for our Bat Mitzvah. Though, strangely, the Kabbalah was only a brief moment in our younger education. It wasn’t until we decided to do our own research in our later teens, that we truly uncovered our devotion. Around this same time, we began learning about Buddhism. Buddhism and Kabbalah share many ideas of existence. Both have an emphasis on interconnectivity and non-duality. These themes aligned with us, and continue to guide us. To be able to strip the illusion of separateness with the support of thousands of years of written and oral information was affirming. As we learned, our way of living became more kind and grateful.
Each interaction with the world became sacred. The magic of life was present in every motion.
Our art transformed to a mission, a mission to share the teachings of Kabbalah and Buddhism. To help our collective be more aware of the fact that we are one. That pain and joy are one, light and dark are one, you and we are one. We’d like to enlighten all about the connection we share with each shape shifting atom, in effort to inspire the act of mitzvahs- that will help enable the messiah conscious. (a congruent consciousness that acts with total awareness, mindful of any and all).

How did you first get interested in collage as an art form, and how has your approach evolved over time?

We feel many do not realize their true start in a medium- the traditional known act of collage found us in our freshman year of collage. Though upon deeper understanding, we have been acting in ways of collage since our young childhood. Collage is the act of putting pieces together- we would film-make and illustrate worlds, putting together pieces of imagery endlessly. This is the act of collage, collage can even go further back to our first time putting an outfit together. To emphasize again, putting together anything is collage. Though if we were to focus on the less nuanced understanding of this term- we would put note to- like said- our freshman year of college. Our school encouraged students to explore ways of art making. To develop relationships with mediums we may have never approached. We recall the day, sitting outside in the breath of fall as the hues of the world gave one last warm hug. We had scavenged for imagery moments before, sat in the grass, sketchbook open, and began to build a world. The placement felt guided by unknown forces, which we would later understand as our collaboration with nature. Intuitively, we cut, glued, and placed a narrative. As we pressed our last piece of paper onto the page- a fire fanned into flame. We became enthralled with the process of being able to connect parts of the world that many would assume have no connection. To be able to share information of how we experienced the world so directly. From then on, we endlessly experimented ways of collage, learning and learning techniques that allowed us to support our mission of raising awareness. Overtime, with the support of our community, time, and attention- we have been able to evolve our art practice to align directly with our spiritual practice. We ensure absolute flow of forms by the intentional layering and cutting of forms. Our resources for images, a collection of 4 years (and still growing) of search, have amounted to a world of endlessly possibilities, interactions, and lives. We began to create a system of weaving, making the collage seem almost painterly how everything fits perfectly together. Our process of gluing has become ideal- flattening each image to the point that you’d be unsure if it even came from an alternative source. We will continue to evolve our practice, evolve our techniques, evolve our narrative scenes, evolve our pallets, evolve our forms, evolve our worlds, evolve our connections endlessly.

Your artist statement mentions the importance of interconnectivity and non-duality. Could you elaborate on how these concepts manifest in your work?

Interconnectivity and non-duality manifests in our work through the form of imagery. It is important to us to utilize all ways of living, all kinds of existence, all perspectives. To show that everything that does and doesn’t exist is a part of being. By incorporating all these facets, we can help a wider audience notice themselves in our work and notice how they relate to all. We create narratives that highlight the process of suffering and enlightenment. The mud and lotus of life, the pain and joy that must be present to exist. Our connection of images becomes a teaching, an understanding of how we can be more aware of the world-our relation to one another, to everything and nothing.

You’ve described your collage process as a collaboration with nature. Could you explain what this process looks like and how it feels to work in this way?

A collaboration with nature is a flow of pure intuition, guided by forces both known and unknown. As we have our intentions, ideas, and technique- nature has resources, materials, and chance. To create a collage, one made of found objects, you must trust that nature, life, will bring to you what you need. We have no control over what books will be present, what content will be open to us. We allow for this to be up to nature, and we find that this faith is giving and kind. As we collect content, we grab what aligns with our intentions. When it comes to organizing imagery, a dynamic dance begins where we listen keenly to where the image is calling to and where we feel the narrative flows. We go back and forth, swaying, swirling, until the collage finally comes together.

How do you select the imagery and materials for your collages? Is it a spontaneous process, or do you follow a certain theme?

Imagery and materials call out to us, they grab our attention amongst the sea of content. We believe these pieces are divinely aligned, that they are in tune with our intentions and feelings.
The process of selecting is an intuitive motion, guided gently by our intentional spiritual practice. As previously mentioned, this is our collaboration with nature- it is a faith in chance. The universe continues to share content we need to help share our perspectives and teachings. We flip through endlessly arrays of books, magazines, and papers in respect to the traditional start of DADA. It is critical for us to scavenge for materials, using found objects of our world are essential to representing the metaphorical act of putting our universe back together in a more aware way.

In your view, how do collage pieces come together to create a “universe” or a cohesive whole?

As we place each image, in relation to others, a universe begins to breathe. Each piece is interacting in a way- commenting, touching, and responding to each. Multiple narratives weave themselves together, notioning how a world is made of various perspectives and realities all connected into one. Upon their whole, this a singular cohesive experience, as one analyzes the present moments in the work, they are able to place themselves within the interactions. As we create more collages, more worlds, the universe expands- various life paths, dimensions, and realms are born and exist as a totality.

What role do you think art plays in connecting people to deeper, universal truths?

Art is a direct path for people to be connected to deeper, universal truths. Art is an experience that is felt beyond the context of personal experience and language. It is a way of recognizing interconnections, and understanding the bond of being a human. Art can be accessed globally, especially today thanks to the advancements of technology. Art was traditionally used to help people learn about their world without language or proper education. Buddhist teachings would be illustrated on massive pillars and then shared across Asia. Buddhism was able to expand itself and gain a collective because of this- helping humans to live a more aware and kind life. Art is still used in these ways- crossing countries and ideologies respectfully- sharing genuine compassion and how one can align with these values. To thus enhance the quality of life and death for all. Art is the connector, art is a vehicle for the universal truths of interconnectivity and non-duality.