Paul Ramirez Jonas

Paul Ramírez Jonas (born 1965, Pomona, California) is an American artist and arts educator, who is known for contemporary, social practice art work exploring the potential between artist and audience, artwork and public. Many of Ramirez Jonas's projects use pre-existing texts, models, or materials to reenact or prompt actions and reinsert himself into his own audience.

This article uses Spanish naming customs: the first or paternal family name is Ramirez and the second or maternal family name is Jonas.
Paul Ramirez Jonas
Born1965 (age 54–55)
Pomona, California, U.S.
NationalityAmerican
Alma materBrown University,
Rhode Island School of Design
MovementSocial Practice
Spouse(s)Janine Antoni

His work has participated in the Johannesburg Biennale, the Seoul Biennial, the Shanghai Biennial, the 28th São Paulo Biennial, the 53rd Venice Biennale, and the 7th Bienal do Mercosul, Porto Alegre, Brazil. Ramírez Jonas currently lives in Brooklyn, New York.[1]

Early life and education

Paul Ramírez Jonas was born in 1965 in Pomona, California and raised in Honduras.[2] In 1987, Ramirez Jonas graduated with a B.A. from Brown University, and went on to earn an M.F.A. in painting from the Rhode Island School of Design in 1989.[3]

Career

Shortly after receiving his Master’s Degree, Ramírez Jonas began exhibiting his work in New York in 1990.[3] [4] From the 1990-2004, Ramírez Jonas was primarily known for producing artworks that utilized a wide array of media for display in galleries.[5][6] For example, he was recognized for a series of sculptures where he recreated historical kite designs for the experiments of Alexander Graham Bell and other inventors.[7] It should be acknowledged that in this period his practice was not limited to only gallery exhibitions but included performance that interacted with audience members. In 1991, in collaboration with fellow artist Spencer Finch, the duo created an alternative audio tour of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, entitled Masterpieces Without the Director.[8] However this format of presentation was an exception and much of his recognition in the 1990’s and into the 2000’s was in both in commercial and institutional gallery exhibitions. This period would culminate in a survey show in 2004 at Ikon Gallery in Birmingham, UK. This exhibition examined the early works of Ramírez Jonas and his exploration of technological progress as a backdrop to address concepts of time, memory and loss.[9] Despite this emphasis, in the catalogue that accompanied the 2004 Ikon exhibition, editor Sofía Hernández Chong Cuy acknowledges the artist's growing interests in “public space”.[10]

As the 2000’s progressed, Ramírez Jonas created public works to intimate drawings, performances and videos. Through his practice, he sought to challenge the definitions of art and the public and to engineer active audience participation and exchange. Ramírez Jonas described his role as "extending beyond the private reader, and into someone who invites viewers to join in. The result of this shift is the reassertion of a contract between the artwork and its public."[11] In addition to conceiving public projects, both permanent (Taylor Square in Cambridge, and Hudson River Park, New York City) and temporary (such as Talisman at 28th Bienal de São Paulo, 2008), Ramírez Jonas was the subject of numerous solo exhibitions. He has participated in the 1st Johannesburg Biennale; the 1st Seoul Biennial; the 6th Shanghai Biennial; the 28th São Paulo Biennial and the 53rd Venice Biennial.[12]

Since 2004, Ramírez Jonas' efforts were increasingly recognized as part of the fields of Social Practice and Socially Engaged Art.[13] [14] This “turn to the social” by many artists consisted of a wide ranging set artistic approaches that embraced art making strategies that were durational, participatory and cross disciplinary and that cultivated links between the aesthetic and political.[15] Ramírez Jonas’ series of works that involved an exchange of keys with the audience had particular import for the field of socially engaged artists and thinkers. These projects were Mi Casa Su Casa produced in San Diego and Tijuana for inSite_05 (2005), Talisman produced in São Paulo for the 28th Bienal de São Paulo (2008) and Key to the City produced in New York City with Creative Time (2010) among others.[16] Notably his work in this period, he distinguished himself by maintaining his position as the author of the work. Whereas other socially engaged artists sought to share or question the role of the author through collaborative production.[17] Although Ramírez Jonas’ work was contingent on the audience enacting the work, he always maintained an investment in the production of art objects as exemplified in his series of projects that circulates keys. In considering these art objects, writer and curator Nato Thompson wrote that the keys, “Recontextualized, they offer opportunities for participants to contemplate a broader range of choices, possibilities, and social interactions.”[18] With Ramírez Jonas’ interest in speech acts, citizenry and audience participation, his works embodied many of the concerns of socially engaged art. His approach described at times as a “MicroUtopia” for its capacity to temporarily engage the audience directly in small but exceptional acts that address large scale societal issues.[19]

In 2018, the Contemporary Arts Museum Houston organized a comprehensive survey of Ramírez Jonas. This exhibition contextualized the gallery based work of the 1990’s with the later work of the 2000’s. In considering the artist’s evolution over the nearly three decades, the exhibition presented Ramírez Jonas’ oeuvre as possessing a distinct continuity.

His work is included in various public museum collections including the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum,[20] among others.

Work

A Better Yesterday (1999)

In 1999, Ramirez Jonas produced a project entitled A Better Yesterday for the exhibition Panorama 2000 organized by the Centraal Museum in Utrecht. This work consisted of painting an analogue clock face on the pavement and buildings of the city center of Utrecht. Since this “clock” spanned a 200 meter diameter of the city center, it could only be viewed in total from the elevation of the Dom Tower, whereas at street level, pedestrians could only view individual numbers. Throughout the day, an attendant, pedaling a tricycle with a musical automaton aboard, would visit each number at the corresponding hour of the day. The mechanics and construction of the automaton was carefully formed to visually combine three references: the Dom Tower in Utrecht, Bruegel’s painted depiction of the Tower of Babel and Tatlin’s Tower. At the top of each hour the musical automaton would play a score that was a mix of the songs It's a Small World (After All) and L'Internationale. The project lasted the length of the exhibition from June 5 - October 3, 1999. The project was part of a large group show of artists making works that utilized the view of the Dom Tower.[21]

Talisman (2008)

In 2008, Ramírez Jonas produced the work Talisman for the 28th São Paulo Biennial. He arranged for members of the public to a receive a key to the front door of the biennial venue, the Ciccillo Matarazzo Pavilion.[22] Each person who received a key was required to leave behind a copy of one of their own keys as well as sign a contract that established an agreement between themselves, the curators, the artist and the biennial foundation.[23]

Publicar Series (2009)

In this series of sculptures entitled Publicar, Ramírez Jonas altered large boulders by carving into them a space for monument plaques to be placed.[24] In this carved out space where a bronze plaque would be placed to honor a State figure or event, the artist substituted a cork board that served as a repository for public fleeting messages or personal note- the ephemeral voice of his public. The first three of this series were produced for the 7th Mercosul Biennial in Porto Alegre, Brazil in 2009. [25] [26]

Key to the City (2010)

In the summer of 2010, Ramírez Jonas created the Key to the City project in New York City with Creative Time and curator Nato Thompson.[27][28] He replaced 24 locks around the city, so that they could all be opened with a new “key to the city.”[29] Some of the keys opened simple spaces, and other opened complex interactions like participating in a restaurant.[29][30] Key to the City involved 25,000 participants and centered around a key as a vehicle for exploring social contracts pertaining to trust, access, and belonging. Keys have featured repeatedly in his work as symbols of access and exclusion, public and private ownership. Keys were distributed until June 2010, and the locks remained accessible throughout the summer, until September 2010.[31]

The Commons (2011)

Within the Contemporary Arts Museum Houston (CAMH) sits Ramírez Jonas's piece called The Commons (2011). Much like his 2009 boulder piece in Porto Alegre, Ramírez Jonas created a riderless horse made of cork for the purpose of allowing the public to use pushpins to leave notices to others. This piece was intentionally ephemeral so that those viewing and involving themselves with this artwork could watch it erode as the material deteriorated. "The Commons" is modeled after the bronze original of Marcus Aurelius atop his steed, Equestrian Statue of Marcus Aurelius, which is located in Campidoglio, Rome.[32] Ramírez Jonas's detail of leaving the horse riderless was intended to give a significant gesture for displaying a horse with no direction -- meaning that, without the public, the piece is incomplete.

In 2017, The Commons was part of the exhibition Atlas, Plural, Monumental, a 25-year survey of the artist's work at Contemporary Arts Museum Houston (CAMH).[32]

Public Trust (2016 – ongoing)

Public Trust was initially staged at three different public squares in Boston, Massachusetts in 2016.[32] The work was a participatory installation which invited participants to consider the impact of their words.

In 2017, Public Trust was part of the exhibition Atlas, Plural, Monumental, a 25-year survey of the artist's work at Contemporary Arts Museum Houston (CAMH).[32]

Awards and honors

His honors include grants from the Joan Mitchell Foundation in 2008,[33] ArtMatters Foundation in 2008 as support for his project Desahogo,[34] the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), the Howard Foundation, the International Studio Program in Sweden, and the Atlantic Center for the Arts, among others.

Teaching

Ramírez Jonas has taught at Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), California Institute of the Arts (Cal Arts), Columbia University, New York University (NYU), and the School of the Museum of Fine Arts Boston.[35] He is currently an Associate Professor at Hunter College,[36] where he has been since 2007.

Personal life

Ramírez Jonas was married to artist Janine Antoni.[37] The couple met while in graduate school at Rhode Island School of Design.[37] They have a daughter and live in Brooklyn.[37]

Exhibitions

These are lists of Ramirez Jonas's select exhibitions, organized by type of exhibition and date.

Solo

Group
  • 2014 – Crossing Brooklyn: Art from Bushwick, Bed-Stuy, and Beyond, Brooklyn Museum, Brooklyn, New York[42]
  • 2014 – Museum as Laboratory: Artists Experiment, MoMA’s Department of Education, New York City, New York[43]

Publications
  • Thompson, Nato (2013). Over the Water: Paul Ramirez Jonas. exhibition catalog. Exploratorium. Oakland, California: Solstice Press.

References
  1. "Paul Ramírez Jonas: Atlas, Plural, Monumental". www.e-flux.com. 2017. Retrieved 2019-11-15. Paul Ramírez Jonas was born in California and lives and works in Brooklyn, NY.
  2. "Paul Ramírez Jonas debuts "Half-Truths" at New Museum". www.newyorkspaces.com. Retrieved 2018-03-12.
  3. "Paul Ramírez Jonas". Creative Time Reports. Retrieved 2015-12-17.
  4. "The Drawing Center | New York, NY | Exhibitions | Selections 49". www.drawingcenter.org. 1990. Retrieved 2020-05-12.
  5. "Art in Review". timesmachine.nytimes.com. Retrieved 2020-05-12.
  6. "Art Guide". The New York Times. 2003-02-07. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2020-05-12.
  7. "Art in Review". timesmachine.nytimes.com. Retrieved 2020-05-12.
  8. Collins, Glenn (1991-09-26). "Making an Art of the Met Tour". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2020-05-12.
  9. "Ikon Heavier than Air". www.ikon-gallery.org. 2004. Retrieved 2020-05-12.
  10. Hernandez Chong Cuy, Sofia (2004). Paul Ramírez Jonas. Ikon Gallery., Cornerhouse (Gallery : Manchester, England). [Birmingham]: Ikon Gallery. p. 105. ISBN 1-904864-00-7. OCLC 56652873.CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  11. "Visiting Artist- Paul Ramírez Jonas | Dept. of Sculpture + Extended Media". VCUarts Department of Photography and Film. 2012-02-09. Retrieved 2020-05-16.
  12. Atlas, Plural, Monumental. Daderko, Dean,, Arning, Bill,, Kelly, Karen J., 1964-, Schröder, Barbara, 1969-, Contemporary Arts Museum. Houston, Texas: Contemporary Arts Museum Houston / Dancing Foxes Press. 2017. pp. 116–120. ISBN 978-0-9986326-1-2. OCLC 1012500417.CS1 maint: others (link)
  13. Reyes, Delos, Jen, “Open Engagement 2012”, Portland State University, 2012, Archive
  14. Johnson, Ken (2014-10-02). "The Artist Next Door". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2020-05-16.
  15. Jackson, Shannon, 1967- (2011). Social works : performing art, supporting publics. New York: Routledge. ISBN 978-0-203-85289-7. OCLC 719090958.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  16. Thompson, Nato (2014). Over the water : Paul Ramírez Jonas. Ramírez Jonas, Paul, Exploratorium. San Francisco, CA. pp. 11–16. ISBN 978-0-943451-75-6. OCLC 904296342.
  17. Finkelpearl, Tom. (2013). What we made : conversations on art and social cooperation. Durham: Duke University Press. ISBN 978-0-8223-5284-6. OCLC 792880278.
  18. Thompson, Nato (2014). Over the water : Paul Ramírez Jonas. Ramírez Jonas, Paul, Exploratorium (Organization). San Francisco, CA: Exploratorium. p. 17. ISBN 978-0-943451-75-6. OCLC 904296342.
  19. Becker, Carol (2012). "MicroUtopias: Public Practice in the Public Sphere". Living as form: socially engaged art from 1991 2011. Thompson, Nato (First paperback ed.). New York: MIT Press. p. 71. ISBN 978-0-262-53439-0. OCLC 978612879.
  20. "Collection: Paul Ramírez Jonas". Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation. 17 June 2013. Retrieved 2019-11-15.
  21. Panorama 2000 : Kunst in Utrecht te zien vanaf de Domtoren : 5 juni - 3 oktober 1999 = Art in Utrecht seen from the Dom tower : 5 June - 3 October 1999. Weelden, Dirk van., Centraal Museum (Utrecht, Netherlands), Domkerk (Utrecht, Netherlands). Utrecht: Centraal Museum. 1999. ISBN 90-73285-60-7. OCLC 46883571.CS1 maint: others (link)
  22. Smith, Royce W., "28th São Paulo Bienal: In Living Contact" X-TRA, Summer 2009, Volume 11, Issue 4 .
  23. Hoffmann, Jens (2009-01-01). "28th Sao Paulo Biennial". Frieze Magazine. Archived from the original on 2 December 2013. Retrieved 22 June 2013.
  24. "Common Exchange Exhibition - Cambridge Arts - City of Cambridge, Massachusetts". www.cambridgema.gov. Retrieved 2020-05-16.
  25. Ramírez Jonas, Paul (2017). Atlas, plural, monumental. Daderko, Dean,, Arning, Bill,, Kelly, Karen J., Schröder, Barbara. Houston, Texas: Contemporary Arts Museum Houston / Dancing Foxes Press. pp. 38, 117. ISBN 978-0-9986326-1-2. OCLC 1012500417.
  26. 7a Bienal do Mercosul : grito e escuta. Yáñez Pavez, Camilo, Fundação Bienal de Artes Visuais do Mercosul, Bienal do Mercosul (7 2009.10.16-11.29 Porto Alegre). Porto Alegre. 2009. ISBN 978-85-99501-18-4. OCLC 846128509.CS1 maint: others (link)
  27. "Key to the City". creativetime.org. Retrieved 2016-08-14.
  28. Berwick, Carly (2010-03-01). "A Different Way to Make a Difference". ARTnews. Retrieved 2019-11-15.
  29. Becker, Carol (2011-06-03). "Utopian Strategies: Artists Anticipate their Audiences". The Brooklyn Rail. Retrieved 2019-11-15.
  30. Fisher, Cora (2010-09-03). "Paul Ramírez Jonas: Key to the City". The Brooklyn Rail. Retrieved 2019-11-15.
  31. Kennedy, Randy (2010-06-23). "Artist's 'Key to the City' Is One Woman's Date Night". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2015-12-17.
  32. "Paul Ramírez Jonas Asks What Constitutes a Public". Hyperallergic. 2017-06-29. Retrieved 2019-11-15.
  33. "Artist Programs » Artist Grants - 2008". Joan Mitchell Foundation. Retrieved 2019-11-15.
  34. "Grant: Paul Ramirez Jonas, 2008". Art Matters Foundation. Retrieved 2019-11-15.
  35. "Faculty and Staff: Paul Ramirez Jonas". Hunter College. Retrieved 2015-12-17.
  36. "Artist Paul Ramírez Jonas". The Creative Time Summit. 2015. Retrieved 2019-11-15.
  37. "Artist Janine Antoni Takes on Childbirth and the Female Body in Two New Shows". The Cut. 2015-02-27. Retrieved 2019-11-15.
  38. "Fortunology: Paul Ramirez-Jonas". Williams College Museum of Art. Retrieved 2019-11-15.
  39. "Paul Ramrez Jonas Every Public Has a Form". The Vera List Center for Arts and Politics. 2012. Retrieved 2019-11-15.
  40. Cook, Rachel (2007). "WorkSpace: Paul Ramirez Jonas". AustinChronicle.com. Retrieved 2019-11-15.
  41. "Special Projects (Summer 2001): Paul Ramirez Jonas: A Longer Day". The Museum of Modern Art (in Portuguese). Retrieved 2019-11-15.
  42. "Crossing Brooklyn: Art from Bushwick, Bed-Stuy, and Beyond". Brooklyn Museum. 2014. Retrieved 2019-11-15.
  43. Prajapati, Sheetal (2014). "Museum as Laboratory: Artists Experiment". MoMA. Retrieved 2019-11-15.

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