What do you see when you envision the future of the Belgian creative scene? For us, we see diverse, unique perspectives, representative of the world around us. That is exactly why we have been working on our 20-something issues since 2014. These editions feature 20 people in their (pre-)twenties who are a guide, an inspiration or an Earlybird for the young generation of today in Belgium. It is the greatest honour to step into the minds of some of the most innovative young people in Belgium; and learn about their dreams, fears, inspirations and even their celebrity crushes. This year’s list was co-curated with Kevin Kotahunyi, founder of Please Add Color.
Naomi Rami
she/her, 21, visual artist based, Brussels
What do we & our readers need to remember about you?
That I am someone who attaches great importance to questioning, both in my work and in my personal life. I like things that are spontaneous, I like to leave room for mistakes and the surprises they bring. I am passionate about my practice, I always need to do more and I am never satisfied with my work.
What attracts you to the human face in your work?
What attracts me is everything related to the plot and the strangeness. I am attracted by the cracks, the experience felt in the features and by the look that transmits without saying a word.
How did you begin working with both textile and illustration?
At first, I always worked on the figurative, whether through drawing, painting or other and with time I became more and more interested in the medium of textile, materials. I had the desire to materialize graphic elements with textile. I wanted something more malleable than the plaster I was using in the first place. Something that is no longer fixed through the touch.
I had the desire to materialize graphic elements with textile
What artists are you listening to?/Which records are you playing most right now?/What book are you currently reading?/Which film have you enjoyed lately?
At the moment I listen a lot to A Tribe Called Quest and the album I listen to the most at the moment is Psychotic_window by Bjaarki. The book I'm reading at the moment is a book by Henri Michaux Face aux verrous, the film I enjoyed lately is a Martin Scorsese film The Irishman.
What makes your heart go faster these days?
It's beating faster right now for several reasons but mainly because I feel like I don't have enough time to work on my projects.
What are you doing daily at 9 pm/9 am?
At 9 in the morning, I am on my way to class or workshop and at 9 pm I am in my studio working or posing in front of a video.
What’s your personal utopia?
My utopia would be that we live in a world where it would be possible to move from one dimension to another and that each person on this earth is aware of their past lives.
What brings you satisfaction?
What brings me satisfaction is when I know that I will be able to focus several hours on the same project and that I do not have to think about anything else.
How do you relax?
I relax by drawing, partying or eating a good dish in front of an action movie.
What’s one of your sources of inspiration that may surprise people?
One of my sources of inspiration that can surprise people is when they see certain photos that I collect that highlights the madness, the distress and that notes the strangeness of certain elements that appear and can cause some discomfort to look at these photos. Anything that represents the madness of things.
What would you like to be doing in 10 years’ time?
In 10 years I would like to be able to continue working on my projects with 10,000 times more ideas by being in a huge workshop somewhere in Tuscany.
What is the latest/future project you are working on?
The last project I worked on was on my black and white portrait series and the future project I'm currently working on is the jewellery collaboration with Naecre and Please Add Color.
What will the second part of 2022 bring you?
In any case, I hope that it will bring me even more personal fulfilment in my work and that it will also bring me new opportunities for my artistic projects.
Who is the person that most influenced you throughout your development in life?
My father has always been a model of determination for me and will always remain standing no matter the situation.
What is the most important thing you’ve learned lately?
The good news I learned recently is that I was going to be able to concretize my trip to the south of France for a year in order to find a new perspective in my work.
Is there anyone in your scene who needs more attention?
Without hesitation, my brother. For him and me, the attention we pay to each other is always important but he needs my attention the most regarding his theatrical or personal projects.
Comfort food/speciality dish?
The food that comforts me the most is Italian cuisine, especially eggplant tagliatelle.
Celebrity crush?
Certainly Leonardo DiCaprio.
Most irrational fear?/Most rational fear
My most irrational fear would be to find myself stuck in a dream and my most rational fear is to find myself stuck in a place with no way out.
If you were a cartoon character in a show, what would be your uniform?
My uniform would be all black and I would wear a latex mask depicting my face with three eyes and four ears.
What were you like as a child?
As a child, I was a very calm person who always watched what was happening around me. I was very intrigued by things I didn't know, I always asked a lot of questions and I was also a very anxious person.
If you could have any superpower, what would it be?
If I had a superpower it would be to be able to travel through time and through dimensions.
What’s the one thing you can’t live without?
One of the things I can't live without is my computer.
If there was a book about your life, what would the title be?
Between illusion and reality.
Biggest dream?
One of my biggest dreams would be to transform a huge factory into several artists' studios and where there would be the possibility of working on each medium that makes us want from one minute to the next.
Favourite quote from a book/movie/show/song
‘These invisible forms remain invisible only as long as I have no eyes, no organs to be able to perceive what is apt to become an image. For those who know how to create an organ of perception, these forms are perceptible’ by Joseph Beuys.
Photo's by @mathias_dwgnr and @taniajpg_
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