10 Questions with Michelle Ramand

Michelle Ramand is a Brazilian multimedia artist. Her work is intrinsically linked to her persona. Her research deepens topics related to the resemblance between the Human and the Divine, exploring themes related to dreams and other dimensions.

The artist's production is deep-rooted to her persona by allowing her instincts to play a central role in her work through the use of organic lines. Michelle demystifies metaphysical paradigms and opens portals that are able to lead her interlocutor to a positive clash between freedom and lightness. Guided by her discoveries, her projects travel amidst the unknown and are fueled by her surprises, always considering the fluidity of the oneiric world and the grounding and disconcerting experiences of real life. Ramand incorporates a mystic and powerfully critical atmosphere in her work, using both the plastic strength of her geometrical strokes and her research of vibrant colors hailing from textile compositions created by the artist during her career.

www.michelleramand.com | @michelleramand

ARTIST STATEMENT

How much similarity is there between the human and the divine?

One of the subjects for her research and reflection has been the similarities between the human and the divine. By exploring artistic movements like the Renaissance and surrealism, she identified how these resemblances are present in the narrative of their works.

She has chosen to focus on these similarities based on the creative power and the ability to bring existence; she has drawn parallels between the human and the divine and how we perceive ourselves, especially concerning women.

A significant similarity between women and deities is the capacity to symbolize power and creation. Both women and goddesses are often associated with concepts of fertility, care, and the ability to give birth and nurture life.

In many cultures and religions, goddesses are revered as representations of divine femininity associated with creation and nature. They are seen as sources of life, symbols of renewal and regeneration, and are often connected to elements like the earth, the moon, and the sea. Goddesses can be worshiped as protective mothers, guardians of the home, and keepers of wisdom.

Similarly, women in human society have played an essential role in the creation and sustenance of life. The ability to give birth and nurture a human being is a unique and significant power shared by women. Moreover, historically and culturally, women have been associated with roles of care, leadership, intuition, and wisdom.

Therefore, the connection between women and deities is often rooted in creative power and the ability to sustain life, which is admired and valued both in spirituality and in human society.

In her work, she has been attempting to draw parallels between worlds—what is real and what are unconscious representations. The central focus of her work from the beginning has been the Feminine. She paints women who are awakened and conscious of their evolutionary path. Women who belong to higher dimensions than the ones we live in but physically inhabit the third dimension to transform and offer their learning and powers for the benefit of humanity. These women carry their marks, pains, and human vulnerabilities.

To express this context in her work, she has been exploring symbols and archetypes, where each created character represents an archetype. Archetypes are universal patterns of thoughts, behaviors, and images present in the collective unconscious of humanity.

Archetypes and deities can exert a powerful influence on the human psyche. They are key elements in stories and rituals that help shape cultural identity, provide models of behavior, and inspire individuals to seek higher values.

Showing the capacity we have to share our power and genuinely contribute to the world is what drives her work.

INTERVIEW

Let’s start from the basics. How did you start getting interested in art? And what keeps you motivated?

I have loved art since I was a child when I was amazed by seeing "The Garden of Earthly Delights" by Bosch in a small book in my uncle's living room; how those images told me stories! Soon after, as a teenager, I saw some paintings by Georgia O'Keeffe and was fascinated by the sophistication of the flower forms in the foreground. I had never imagined how much these images would influence me in photography and painting years later. Over the years, while studying literature at college, I delved into literary movements, where artistic movements of each era were also discussed. There, I had access to the works of Picasso, Lydia Clarke, Frida Kahlo, Kandinsky, Rene Magritte, and many others like Leonora Carrington and Remedios Varo. Years passed, and I switched from literature to fashion. I started creating clothes and photographing the pieces I made. Ten years later, I moved to the United States, where I dedicated myself entirely to photography. I had my first exhibition with photo collages taken on the streets of Berlin. Soon after, I became interested in street art and started doing paste-ups on the streets and small buildings with collages of my own photographs. I began exhibiting in New York and Miami and doing street interventions in countries like Paris, Portugal, Spain, and London. Amidst all this, I felt the need to paint. So, I started studying painting techniques. What has kept me motivated since then are the challenges I always encounter when learning new techniques and expressing my ideas in a non-verbal way through art, aiming to stimulate the imagination of the viewer.

Why are you an artist, and when did you first become one?

I became an artist when I woke up to an inner need to express myself. It has been a path of discovery and inner healing. A movement, a search for what is most secret. The more I dive, the more I find myself in my investigations.
I like to express myself through intense colors. Lines that move when I'm painting abstractly or with hands and eyes that express what I would like to say.

How would you define yourself as an artist today?

I would define myself as an artist in the process of self-discovery, living this journey through art. Someone who is seeking challenges and striving for better poetics that can be applied to my work. Above all, the desire is to provoke the interlocutor to give more freedom to their own imagination.

Your artwork delves into the resemblance between the Human and the Divine. Could you share with us the inspiration behind this thematic exploration and how it manifests in your figurative works?

Today, my research is based on studies of analytical psychology and spirituality.
In psychology, these studies are focused on the works of Carl Jung, where the core of his theoretical system was the belief that every individual's experience should be respected and included rather than aspects being pathologized or repudiated. This includes the unwanted aspects of the individual's "Shadow," such as their aggressive qualities.
In both mythology and in the context of various religions' deities, we see very similar aspects of human characteristics, such as compassion and fury. Another significant aspect is that of creation, where in humans, what most resembles the divine is giving birth to another being, a capacity given to women.
Therefore, I try to incorporate in my works such divine resemblances in what is human and what is human in the divine.

Rainbows seem to be a recurring motif in your art. What significance do rainbows hold for you, and how do you integrate them into your artistic compositions?

Well, Rainbows are not always rainbows in my works. These colors have different representations in my work; at times, they represent the "covenant" made between the Christian God and his creation after the flood. At other times, these same colors represent the "chakras," which are energy centers aligned along the spine, from the coccyx at the base to the top of the head, connecting our mind, body, and spirit as a unified being.
Both the rainbow and the chakras have seven colors, and I never use all seven colors in the lines; one is always included in the background colors of the screen, representing the cosmos. Rainbows or chakras always represent the power of creation in my works.

Figurative art often carries deep symbolism. Can you discuss some of the symbolic elements or themes that you incorporate into your figurative works?

I always use many symbols. Whether they are symbols belonging to archetypes being represented in each work, symbols linked to human shadows, or symbols that remind us of similarities between the human and the divine. The most significant symbol in my work has been the woman, where the female body presents itself as a sacred space. The most significant similarity between women and divinities is the capacity for creation.

Could you walk us through your creative process when conceptualizing and creating a new piece?

For each collection, I have a theme, where I do some preliminary research beforehand.
Currently, I have been working on two collections, one about Jung's main archetypes and another about tarot. Before painting an archetype, I like to delve deeply into it, study it, and mainly try to understand its dark side and who it really is. These researches have been bringing me more and more interest in psychology. As for the tarot collection, I have some decks and have already been studying about them because I enjoy playing as a form of self-awareness. So, I decided to create a deck about hands. The hand carries significant symbolism in spirituality; generally, the hand is seen as a symbol of connection and expression. They represent the human ability to act and transform the world around them. Tarot is also linked to the world of archetypes.

How do you balance the representational aspects of figurative art with the symbolic and abstract elements in your work?

The abstract brings lightness and movement to my work; it has been the path I have been seeking to create more fluidity. During the time I was working with fashion, it was easy to create fluid pieces; it was what I always created. With photography, I sought to show emotions like anger, despair, or total calmness. But in a static way. Transitioning to painting, I always aim to bring movement and lightness to what seems static and perfect.

On a different note, what are your plans for the future? Are you working on any new project or preparing for any exhibition?

Yes. I have been working on some projects that I have been gradually putting into practice.
I am already in contact with some galleries inside and outside the United States. And I already feel ready to start new exhibitions.
The last two years have been a transition of style, and I preferred to focus on the studio and sell to my collectors. But I feel that it is time to start showing my work out there.

Finally, how do you see yourself and your artwork five years from now?
I like to think that if, in five years, I am still here on this planet, I want to see my work exhibited in good galleries in different countries. I hope that my work can reach more people and inspire them in various ways.

Artist’s Talk

Al-Tiba9 Interviews is a promotional platform for artists to articulate their vision and engage them with our diverse readership through a published art dialogue. The artists are interviewed by Mohamed Benhadj, the founder & curator of Al-Tiba9, to highlight their artistic careers and introduce them to the international contemporary art scene across our vast network of museums, galleries, art professionals, art dealers, collectors, and art lovers across the globe.

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