My name is Ale Rambar, I am a Costa Rican artist dedicated to the creation of three-dimensional works of art made with layers of paper.
Throughout my career as an architect I was struck by the beauty of topographic maps, their sinuosity and their ability to be transformed into three-dimensional elements. This became my artistic work, which is based on the topographic analysis of the human form through three dimensional compositions made with layers of paper. Each piece is created by analyzing human bodies topographically, just like a topographer would analyze mountains, valleys or rivers. Each piece is cut separately, layer by layer and then assembled by hand to create “human topographies”.
I use this technique to talk about issues of tolerance for the environment in which we live, for the people who live in it and for our representations of love. It is an artistic exploration in favor of equality, love, respect and sexual diversity, expressed in works of art that seek to open spaces for conversation.
For me, the function of art is to change society and to bring attention to problems that are part of our daily lives. In my case, I use my art to open conversations about the experiences of all kinds of people in regards to their sexual identity, or the discrimination they have felt due to it. This is something that I really consider necessary for our society to advance together.
Because of this I am interested in taking the artistic residence to connect with the local context and create new inputs for my artistic work. For me, the visibility of the LGTB + community is very important and it is through my artistic career that I have sought that all people feel that there is a space for them in society and that we must ensure tolerance among all and towards all.
My art pieces are based on stories that my community tells me, and they portray ideas that we have heard since we were children, like “men don’t cry”, “girls with short hair are not pretty” or “being gay means you’re weak”. They also make reference to social situations that develop around our life, like the acceptance of same sex marriage in Costa Rica.
As of 2020 I have had the honor of presenting my work in prestigious spaces such as the National Art Museum of China, the National Gallery of Costa Rica, the Interamerican Development Bank in Washington and several international biennials.
I have also taken part in several publications related to the representation of queer artists, such as the “Pride Guide of Costa Rica”; a study of “Needs of the migrating LGBTIQ community” created by the Institute of LGBTIQ Migration and Refugee of Costa Rica; and the “Diverse Archive” by the University of Sevilla.
I have presented my art pieces in LGBTIQ exhibition such as the NÖS Fest, at the Inter-American Institute of Human Rights of Costa Rica, and at the Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by the Costa Rican Association of Visual Artists for the United Nations.
