Niklas Rämö (1988) is a Finnish visual artist based in New York State. He has produced independently since 2008, having exhibited in Helsinki, Miami, and New York. Today he lives in the Hudson Valley, and his work can be found worldwide.
Rämö has produced a diverse portfolio of visual art. Maintaining a singular focus, he depicts subject as a measured reflection of the viewer, examining a potential authentic. Past work explores a variety of autobiographical themes. The architecture of Brooklyn is a frequent subject. Life on its streets and portraiture of its people. Other subjects delve further into the esoteric. A kitchen sink rests idle in the morning light. The back seat of a car is only a place in time. These subjects narrate their own unique story, but their composition explores a deeper meaning. Familiar images, elevated to a true sense of themselves.
Recent work continues this transformative process in a new environment. Relocation to the Hudson Valley introduced an abundance of natural landscape. This new world dominates recent production, but its attitude remains grounded in the pioneering work done in Brooklyn. Adapting this approach to the forest of New England was immediately successful. In order to probe any subject for its authentic qualities, its defining characteristics have to be adjusted accordingly. The same process applies whether it examines an abandoned factory or an oak tree. The factory we regard as an eyesore can become a portrait of tranquil beauty, simply by bathing it in the appropriate light. A variety of characteristics define our perspective of a subject. We measure, calculate, and decide on the nature of a thing. We ponder and decide on the nature of nature. Rämö employs an intuitive approach that lowers certain traits and emphasizes others. The result is a tonal harmony, projecting an image that creates a balanced understanding of a subject. The result may be manufactured, but it dwells in the real, giving us sight unburdened by our eyes. This work serves to encourage our affection for the real, and draw from what it provides.