Podcast Summary: All Of It on WNYC

Episode: How Artist Bony Ramirez Spent a Year Immersed in The Newark Museum of Art
Host: Koosha Navadar (in for Alison Stewart)
Guests: Bony Ramirez (artist), Elena Munoz Rodriguez (Assistant Curator, Newark Museum of Art)
Date: May 15, 2024

1. Episode Overview

This episode explores the journey of Dominican-born, New Jersey-based artist Bony Ramirez, from his move to the U.S. at age 13 to his emergence as a celebrated self-taught artist. It centers on his year-long residency at the Newark Museum of Art, culminating in his solo exhibition "Cattleya." Co-guest Elena Munoz Rodriguez, assistant curator of Latinx and Latin American Art, joins to discuss the museum's Global Contemporary series and the experience of guiding an artist through intimate engagement with the museum’s historic collections. Through candid conversation, the episode shines a light on identity, migration, creative inspiration, and the dynamics of making art while hustling in real-life circumstances.

2. Key Discussion Points and Insights

Bony Ramirez’s Origin Story: Art and Early Influence

• First Museum, Formative Experience (03:22–05:29)
  • Bony moved from the Dominican Republic at 13, settling in Perth Amboy, NJ.
  • He describes wandering Newark while applying to Essex County College and finding the Newark Museum of Art.
  • "Going to museums in general was the closest thing to, like, an education that I had." (Bony Ramirez, 05:17)
  • He initially saw his art ambitions as less realistic, envisioning a future as an illustrator.

Impact of Museums and Accessibility (05:29–05:59)

• Elena shares the museum’s mission to be accessible to all, especially first-time visitors.
  • "We all try to really make our collections and our galleries really accessible to every type of visitor, even a visitor who's never been to a museum before." (Elena Munoz Rodriguez, 05:35)

Global Contemporary Series: The Museum’s Artist Residency (06:03–06:41)

• Elena outlines the Global Contemporary program.
  • It’s a residency offering artists deep access to the museum collection, encouraging new work in dialogue with historic pieces.
  • Bony’s show includes works from other artists in the museum’s collection, sparking dialogue across time.

Immersing in the Museum Collections (07:10–08:27)

• Bony reflects on the honor of up-close access.
  • The process was both formative and revelatory, especially learning about other Dominican artists like Freddy Rodriguez.
  • "It was like, really refreshing to also see that as part of the collection…" (Bony Ramirez, 07:55)

Cattleya: The Symbolism of the Flower (08:31-11:42)

• The exhibition title comes from the Cattleya orchid.
  • Bony was inspired by an orchid painting in the museum that reminded him of home, pushing him to research the flower further.
  • He explores its botanical properties, how epiphytic orchids rely on hosts, and extends the metaphor to Caribbean history.
• Colonialism and Contemporary Resonance
  • Bony likens orchids to "beautiful parasites," relating this to colonial histories in the Caribbean and toxic aspects of tourism.
  • "Just being these beautiful parasites, these things that occupy space in another space that does not belong to them." (Bony Ramirez, 10:26)
  • He connects the orchid’s qualities and the show’s paintings to stories of power dynamics and lingering colonial wounds.

Artistic Style: Surrealism, Caribbean Roots, and Narrative (11:42-12:52)

• Elena first noticed Bony’s work for its playful manipulation of the human form and rootedness in Caribbean identity.
  • "His figures were so rooted in the Caribbean... painting both kind of a Caribbean history, but also Caribbean futures." (Elena Munoz Rodriguez, 12:32)

Exhibit Experience: What Visitors See (13:03–14:11)

• The exhibition opens with:
  • A painting by Freddy Rodriguez.
  • New work by Bony depicting two men embracing.
  • Bony's self-portrait, "Sitting on a Bucket of Paint, Self Portrait as a Calf"—including a taxidermied calf installation.
• The room features an 8-foot tondo painting and a dramatic architectural arch of chains.

Labor and Artistic Practice: From Construction Site to Studio (14:35–17:09)

• Bony details how construction work honed his technical and problem-solving skills.
  • His mixed-media practice (wood, marble, objects like machetes or shelves) is deeply informed by skilled labor.
  • "A lot of the skills that I learned in construction kind of played a role in me learning about, like, just, you know, using a handsaw, using, like, you know, cutting marble and different things..." (Bony Ramirez, 15:40)
• Early days involved painting on wood panels sized to fit in his mother’s kitchen/closet—making for a relatable, humbling anecdote.

Advice for Young Artists (17:09–18:57)

• Bony encourages self-belief, clarity of purpose, and resilience:
  • "Definitely believe in yourself and your practice. That's really going to take you far... it's good even sometimes to be a little bit, even delusional about certain things..." (Bony Ramirez, 17:37)
  • The key: know where you want to go, even as the route evolves.

Community Event Shout-out (19:04–19:16)

• Elena announces a museum event on May 18: Changing It Up, featuring a book signing at 1pm.

3. Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Museums as a First Classroom
  “Going to museums in general was the closest thing to, like, an education that I had.”
  (Bony Ramirez, 05:17)

• On Representation in Art Spaces
  “When we go to museums, we want to look for where we feel represented. And I think when I saw that painting, this like, tropical orchid in this like, very tropical setting, it really made me feel like home.”
  (Bony Ramirez, 09:08)

• On Colonization and the Orchid Metaphor
  “When thinking about this, the orchid and this body of work, I thought about this idea of orchids just being these beautiful parasites, these things that occupy space in another space that does not belong to them.”
  (Bony Ramirez, 10:26)

• On Artistic Discipline Transferred from Construction
  “A lot of the skills that I learned in construction kind of played a role in me learning about, like, just, you know, using a handsaw, using, like, you know, cutting marble and different things that I was never... I never thought it was gonna be helpful...”
  (Bony Ramirez, 15:40)

• On Advice to Young Artists
  “Definitely believe in yourself and your practice. That's really going to take you far. I think, you know, it's good even sometimes to be a little bit, even delusional about certain things...”
  (Bony Ramirez, 17:37)

4. Important Segment Timestamps

• Intro and Context: 01:58 – 03:17
• Bony on Childhood, First Museum: 03:22 – 05:29
• Elena on Museum Mission: 05:29 – 05:59
• Global Contemporary Series Overview: 06:03 – 06:41
• Bony on Research Process: 07:10 – 08:27
• Exhibition Theme & Cattleya Orchid: 08:31 – 10:13
• Colonialism & Tourism: 10:13 – 11:42
• Discovery of Bony’s Work: 11:42 – 12:52
• Exhibition Walkthrough: 13:03 – 14:11
• Construction & Studio Practice: 14:35 – 17:09
• Working from Mother’s Kitchen: 16:08 – 17:09
• Advice for Young Artists: 17:09 – 18:57
• Book Signing Event Details: 19:04 – 19:16

5. Tone & Overall Impression

The conversation is candid, warm, and accessible, mixing thoughtful analysis with practical stories. Ramirez and Rodriguez highlight themes of cultural legacy, resilience, and the ongoing relevance of history—always tying these back to the vibrant, lived experience of diasporic artists and institutions determined to be open for all.

6. Final Note

Bony Ramirez’s exhibition "Cattleya" is on view now at the Newark Museum of Art.
For those seeking inspiration, community, and a sense of connection to both history and personal possibility, this episode is an uplifting listen.