In December 2015 Readytex Art Gallery received good news for one of her partner artists. Visual artist Dhiradj Ramsamoedj was selected for an artist in residence stay at Cité internationale des arts (also on Facebook) in Paris, France, supported by the partners La Direction des Affaires Culturelles de Guyane (DAC de Guyane) (Direction of Cultural Affairs in La Guyane) (also on Facebook) and the French embassy in Suriname (also on Facebook). A project that will eventually will be coordinated by the cultural operator L’Alliance Française de Paramaribo.
Dhiradj Ramsamoedj, presenting his plans for the artist’s residency / PHOTO Ada Korbee, 2016
The opportunity for several artists to submit applications for this residency in Paris, France, in 2016 was presented to Readytex Art Gallery by the gallery’s art contact in French Guyana, David Redon of DAC de Guyane. The application process was further guided by Laetitia Péant, the cultural attaché of the French embassy in Suriname. For the preparation of the required application documents, including the project proposals, the artists were assisted by the professional team of Readytex Art Gallery. The applications were subsequently submitted to, and reviewed by, the selection committee of ‘L Institut français in France. In December it was announced that Dhiradj Ramsamoedj was the Surinamese artist chosen for the residency in Paris.
Dhiradj Ramsamoedj is a very promising artist who uses his carefully conceived paintings and installations to express his concerns about various questionable social and political issues in modern society. During his residency-project in Paris he will construct an immense Anansi spider from pieces of cloth representative of Surinamese and French cultures. Ramsamoedj intends to present this mythical Anansi figure from Suriname’s and French Guyana’s shared African heritage, as a symbolical ambassador of cultural unity. For the technique Ramsamoedj will take inspiration from his ‘Flexible man’ figures, three-dimensional cloth sculptures, which he first presented in 2010 at the large Paramaribo SPAN exhibition in Paramaribo and which he has since shown in the Netherlands, the USA, Trinidad and Aruba.
Dhiradj Ramsamoedj, ‘Flexible man’ / PHOTO Roy Tjin, 2010
Identifying and facilitating international opportunities for her partner artists is an important and ongoing part of the Readytex Art Gallery mission. With the help of their gallery support system several artists submit applications to various art institutes and residency programs each year.
Dhiradj Ramsamoedj / PHOTO Courtesy Readytex Art Gallery
Ramsamoedj’s residency at Cité internationale des arts in Paris runs from July 1st until August 27th 2016. Financial and technical support for the residency is provided mainly by La Direction des Affaires Culturelles de Guyane (DAC de Guyane), the Cité internationale des arts residency, the French embassy in Suriname and L’Alliance Française de Paramaribo. In Suriname the artist receives professional guidance and support from Readytex Art Gallery. On Tuesday June 28th Dhiradj Ramsamoedj will hold a presentation of his Cité Internationale des arts project proposal at the French residency in Suriname.
TEXT Press release Readytex Art Gallery, 2016
Blog Dhiradj Ramsamoedj: http://dhiradjramsamoedj.blogspot.com/.
An article in ‘de Ware Tijd’, June 2016
