Sandra Ramos

Sandra Ramos (born 1969) is a visual artist from Cuba known for her surrealist expression of her relationship to Cuba’s political and social situation.

Sandra Ramos was born in Havana, Cuba where she still continues to live and work. Although Ramos doesn’t come from a family of artists, she was nonetheless still heavily inspired by painter Gloria González who was a close friend of Ramos’ grandmother. At age twelve, the young artist began to study art in Havana's Escuela Elemental de Artes Plásticas. She continued her studies at the prestigious San Alejandro Art Academy and the Superior Institute of Art in Havana where she was instructed by notable artists like José Bedia, Leandro Soto and Carlos Cárdenas, among others.

Ramos began her career as an artist during Cuba's "Special Period." This period began in 1990 and was a result of the dissolution of the Soviet Union (USRR) and the embargo that the United States imposed on Cuba.

Cuba’s “Special Period” was marked by a declining economy that negatively affected the quality of life of all Cubans. During this period of time, many people left Cuba, including her then-husband who left in 1992. In reference to this experience, Ramos stated, "It was a very hard time for me… I had to decide whether I was going to follow him or not." Ramos decided to stay. The personal experiences that derived from these hardships are what propelled the content of her work, which communicated a sense of isolation, grief, and loss. In 2003, the artist hinted at the way in which her experiences of living in Cuba affected her art by saying, "My work is too related to my life there and my life would change a lot if I left." In 1993 Sandra Ramos became a teacher at the ISA - Higher Institute of Art, a job that she held up until 1998. Since then, she has continued her involvement in the art world. According to her website, “…she has being Curator of the 7 editions of La Huella Múltiple event and other Cuban Contemporary Art exhibitions. She imparted conferences and workshops in International Institutions and Universities as The CUNY Post Graduate Center NY, Wake Forest University, George Mason University Washington, The University of Havana, L' Ecole deux Beaux Arts Paris, Barbican Center in London, The School of the Fine Arts Museum in Boston, Lowe Art Museum, Florida University, Fuchu Art Museum, Tokyo, among others.

Ramos uses a variety of mediums for her art, which include, paintings, etchings, collage, installations, and digital animation. However, the medium for which she is most renowned is engraving.

When speaking about what artistic medium she prefers, Ramos stated: "While engraving continues to be my favorite medium, I wanted to expand the expressive and communicative potential of my work through a new digital medium. Digital animation allows me to elevate my storytelling capabilities by creating a temporal continuity for my small vignettes".

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