Known in the tech world as a rising star and as the head developer at Museache, a multimedia collective, Aziz Ramos expands his resume adding the title ‘fine artist’. In his debut exhibition ‘Freakernation’, Ramos unveiled the “I Am Woody” series at a private gallery in Brooklyn. The photographic series effortlessly blends the traditional elements of top-notch photograph while filling the famously quirky children’s film Toy Story character Woody with raw human emotion. Following the exhibit I caught with the mind behind the series, check out the brief interview below.
You’ve built quite a reputation in the online coding community as well as in the underground music scene. In stepping into the fine art world you had to felt a great deal of anxiety treading in such new waters! So what was the inspiration behind the series?
The inspiration behind the work comes from anywhere in my mind honestly. The moments happening in my life no matter how long or temporary have an impact on what will come next. The moments are meshed together with my heavy sense of escapism and the will to keep my childhood alive. The “prologue” marked the beginning of my friendship with Woody in which he brought me to a fantasy. The first chapter called “_exit” is well, my deep love of this world and everything else in reality seems as though it’s trying to pull me away from it. I’m just as excited as anyone who sees my stuff because I’m eager to know what I will embody next.
Of all the fictional characters to take center stage in the series, what was it about Woody that moved you to create this series?
Other than him being my favorite movie character in the best movie series ever, he’s the perfect extension of me. His character resonates with me so much in which he’s got so many emotions. Jealousy, anger, sadness, doubt, uncertainty all just feelings of a human being and he’s a leader amongst his friends. As I got older it was amazing to see such a brave character can have these flaws because it’s so real. Me and Woody go together like Lan Hikari and Hub from Megaman Battle Network.
Will the series be available for purchase in some form in the near-future?
I’m not selling the pieces for obvious reasons. Although, it would be cool to be remembered as the one Pixar is coming after. I have lots of ideas for the next Pixar movie when it happens. I’d rather give my pieces away to someone who will hold on to them forever like it’s his or her most vivid childhood memory. That is someone I can trust because they will share it with others if it really meant something to them.
Stay in touch with Aziz by way of Instagram @_hunnitgz or check out his personal site www.notansari.com.
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