We’re looking forward to introducing you to Jose Ramirez. Check out our conversation below.
Jose, we’re thrilled to have you with us today. Before we jump into your intro and the heart of the interview, let’s start with a bit of an ice breaker: What do the first 90 minutes of your day look like?
I’m morning person, waking up at 6:00 am and inmediately go for a walk with my dog. After that I do around for the backyard, the front of the house and took some pictures of a never ending project about the seasons. I don’t use any I’m a morning person, waking up at 6:00 am and immediately going for a walk withhat, I wander around the backyard, the front of the house, and take some pictures of a never-ending project about the seasons. I my dog. After t don’t use any device for the first hour. After that, I make coffee, take my breakfast and supplements, and go for a shower before starting my workday.device for the first hour. After that, I make coffee, tale my breakfast and my supplements and go fo a shower before starting my working day.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I was born in Caracas, Venezuela. I’m an Artist, Teacher, Researcher, and Consultant based in the USA. My work has been featured in multiple collective exhibitions, including the Art Hall of Aragua, the Arturo Michelena Room, and the Velada Santa Lucia. I have exhibited my work individually at the National Library of Venezuela, the Alejandro Otero Museum, and in prestigious national and international galleries. In 2008, I won the first prize (Henrique Avril) of the national Biennial of Photography.
My portfolios are included in public and private collections, as well as the audiovisual archive of the National Library of Venezuela. In 2013, I was the coordinator of the FotoEspaña portfolio viewing in Caracas. From 2011 to 2020, I served as Director of the Center for Research and Photographic Studies – CiEF (ciefve.com). Between 2016 and 2018, I served as a guest professor at the Altos de Chavón Design School. In 2017, an artistic residence was established in Altos de Chavón, as part of the project “East or West?” Winner of the 2018 Chris Brown Scholarship at Santa Fe Workshops.
Currently, I teach in the College of Arts and Letters of the University of Tampa.
My photographic work addresses the ways in which we assimilate the world around us and human communication mechanisms, through conceptual portraits and semantic landscapes; I am interested in the use of the landscape approach to the study of social phenomena and portraiture as a strategy for understanding human nature.
Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. What relationship most shaped how you see yourself?
My wife is my compass. I’m highly optimistic, and she is not, but she views things in a very different way, which is vital to developing a proper understanding of the world and staying grounded.
If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
Relax, stop rushing things, and enjoy every moment; invest in yourself.
I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. What are the biggest lies your industry tells itself?
Many creators are hoping that AI will be able to take over the creation process, either partially or entirely. I feel this is so wrong. I like AI, but I’d like it to be able to take over tasks I don’t want to do, giving me more time for the things I really want to do, including creation. On the other hand, Creation is for humans; AI is unable to create.
Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. If immortality were real, what would you build?
I will collect all seascapes of the world, following the inspiration from Sugimoto.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.joseramirezphoto.com
- Instagram: @jmramirezg
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/jramire
