Roberto Jamora

Roberto Jamora is a painter living and working in Brooklyn, New York. His work always shows an incredible presence and confidence. I had a chance to talk with the artist beforehand. I'm grateful for taking the time to let us
know more about him. Give him a shout at his website and tumblr.

What is the philosophy you follow before you start working?

Everything I see, I think about how I could use it in an image to express meaning. I'm transcending complex human experiences into quiet nuanced images that I glean from the web, my surroundings, and art history. In the end I want the image to be a metaphor for something beyond the actual image itself.

What would you like to convey to your viewers about your work?

I am grappling with subjects of power, psychological barriers, and displacement. Deep space is simultaneously enabled and denied because of the nature of painting, which adds to the tension. I make paintings of mythical landscapes that consist of caves, volcanoes, surfers, empty rooms, and other elements to echo inward conflicts of an individual in times of uncertainty.

What are the most challenging aspects of being an artist?

Having the money and the time to actually be an artist. Exposure is really challenging as well, but with the internet then it's easier for people to know you're an artist.

For months, I was just painting in my studio before I got evicted, and no one really ever came to my studio to look at what I was working on. On my open studio day, it snowed really badly and only five of my closest friends came to check on my progress. So even getting people to acknowledge you're an artist can be a challenge, especially in New York where everyone seems to be an artist.

Would you cut off a piece of your ear and give it to your girlfriend? Why?

Nah, I hate pain and that sort of stuff. I don't have any piercings or tattoos. Plus my girlfriend would definitely leave me and have me committed to a hospital of sorts.

Who are your influences?

I've been into Luc Tuymans, Neo Rauch, Peter Doig, Ghada Amer, Sarah Awad, Manuel Ocampo, and Dan attoe, just to name a few. I think that the school that someone studies at really influences their work. When I paint, I can still hear the voices in my head of professors and colleagues from art school.

What would be your porn star name?
Hot Male (dot) cum

You recently did a mural for the MtyMx Festival in Mexico, what do you like most about working on your paintings?

Painting is fun and potentially thought provoking. If I'm not having fun painting, I just won't paint. I tend to work quickly because I hate losing the original inspiration and desire when I start a piece. It just feels like work if I labor on something for way too long.
 
What are the current problems facing the art world?

Funding, because of the recession, galleries folded and grants have become more scarce. Sales aren't great, art fairs are cancelled. We find ways around it though. Everyone thinks everythings been done before too. I don't know, thatsf kinda problematic. Content in work is always changing and should be keeping up with the times.
 
Is there an experience in your life that affected your process?

Traveling to the Philippines, I studied abroad there i and I was able to hike, climb through mountains and caves, and explore tropical beaches and islands. The landscapes were really something else. I felt really connected to the place because of my family and heritage. I wanted to turn my visual experiences into a starting point for my landscape paintings, experiences of awe but of mixed and complex feelings.

The Philippines is a developing country, so despite the beauty and resources, there are some serious sociopolitical problems and issues that permeate all aspects of life there. I subtly channel these into my work which are helplessness and psychological barriers as a result of colonization.
 
What would you do on your last day on earth?

Hedonistic stuff or hanging out with my family and friends. Maybe returning to Catholicism out of desperation.