Cristina Ramos

@cristinaramosatelier @bound-magazine

”What defines me most is that I’m a Gemini. And by that I mean that I can perfectly be comfortable in considering myself two opposed traits at the same time… so don’t be stranged if I say that I am both homie and adventurer, for example. Actually I think I can define myself in dual concepts: Homie and Adventurer. Extrovert or social, with a very deep interior life and somehow shy. Primp and Raw. And I think that shows a lot in the way I parent and in the way I work. As a mother I am super independent and free but with a super strong link and connection to my daughter. As a creative designer I feel super good working in big projects, building enormous difficult sets and also doing still lifes with small objects as well.

My husband is the fashion photographer Txema Yeste and he works from home when he’s not traveling which I think is more than half of the year. He’s determined and driven, super committed to his career and he’s also a family man, a loving romantic, passionate husband and father. I like to think that we are a funny family full of character and in which all of us are super independent and free. My daughter Frida, now five years old is the light of my life. She’s funny, witty, smart and with a really good sense of humor, which is something that I’m always attracted to in people. She loves traveling and loves my work. My stepdaughter Lola, now 13 years old is the coolest girl in town, she skates, she plays music and is dreaming on becoming a musical producer.

Tell us about your magazine DREAM, how did it all start?

“It’s a magazine revolving around the idea on objects and materia and how we interact with them. We try to reflect on that, from a curious perspective and there’s a lot of still life photography but also favorite objects from all kind of people, artists studios, collectors homes, sculptor. Being an editor is one of the things that I love the most, I really enjoy putting out questions, talking to the contributors, listening to their answers on the subject… and also I consider it my every-six-month moodboard. All of the things that interest me are there, I feel super represented by it. Like the magazine is me in a nutshell.

It’s also the place where I create my most personal still lifes. It started right after a break up with my ex business partner. I was heartbroken and started thinking about what I could to cheer me up. What could possible give me the will and motivation I was lacking of?

My first thought was that I loved still life photography and that I should start a project revolving this and since I wanted to be an editor too, I decided to create a magazine about it. I told Txema and he loved the idea so much that we became partners in it. We started conceptualizing it and it took us four years to publish the first issue (now we are about to release the 4th, so it’s been two years since) and as far as we are aware we are proud to say that we are one of a kind… The only magazine about objects out there.

We are a small team of nine people and we work with a legion of contributors (photographers, writers, set designers, stylists) and I couldn’t be more thankful to them.

EDIT: Dream Magazine is renamed BOUND. Whats the reason behind the change of name?

“I saw the name change as an opportunity to be reborn in this period of my life… And what I like now more about the name is that is something real as opposed to the word “dream”, “bound” is more related to a sense of opportunity and destiny in a more real way.”

How is Barcelona as a creative city to work and live in?

“Barcelona is great and easy with good weather and not too big. Good food, beaches, close to all of the European capitals, sunny to live outdoors all year round. Funny and very talented creative people lives here. To me it’s the perfect spot: you can work a lot, make money but also relax and have fun as we love to be outdoors, drink and eat out together with friends as much as you like. And more affordable than many other cities as well!

Where does your inspiration come from?

“Films, materials, architecture, rocks, branches, light, nature in general, music, clouds, books of all kinds, literature, Instagram, other creative people around me, clothes, found objects, beauty… I’m super aware of everything surrounding me. I’m very attracted to beauty, shape, texture, colour, light… I am very ambitious and always wanting to grow and seeking for challenges so I consider myself a all-purpose and multi task person. Working in Spain, mainly in Barcelona is great because we have great weather and the city is a well known destiny for international brands and magazines as long as domestic ones. But since I work with objects and furniture mostly I have to go the same places to find the right items, and being restless as I am, I try to convince clients, photographers, magazines to hire me also in projects that are made abroad. I work mainly in fashion photoshoots. I love big proj

BOUND is a biannual publication and digital platform that deals with the world of matter and explores the connections between objects and their owners. The project gives special importance to its participants’ different points of view and the relations they establish with artifacts, stimulating the readers through a powerful visual content.

The 1st BOUND will be available in December, 2019.

Face ceramic from Sicily. Big pitcher from Mexico, totem ceramics from South Africa, small pitcher from Morocco and pieces from Sargadelos, Zanzibar and Murano. Lamp is Noguchi and cabinet is 50s Italian from Fins de Siècles shop in Barcelona.

Print, Bomb Love by Banksy.

Cabinet is Willy Rizzo. Photo by Horst P. Horst.

Shelf, USM Haller. Carpet, Eileen Grey. Armchair is attributed to Joe Colombo. Cushions from Morocco.

 

What are your thoughts on interior design?

“I try to avoid decorating too much. To me my home (and my office too… actually they are so similar that people ask me if it’s my home whenever I post pictures of it) it’s the place where I keep my most beloved objects, we don’t collect but we have a big collection. I don’t know if that makes sense, we just put everything together: ceramics from all over the world, hundred of books, interesting rocks we find, objects of any kind. Txema loves buying art, mainly photography.

In terms of furniture we just buy what we like and somehow it works well together. We don’t buy everything at once – first we live the space and see how we use it – and start buying the things we need little by little. For example I ve been in my office for 2 years and I haven’t finished it yet… 

What is a desirable object to you?

“My fav object is a little meteorite that someone gave me as a present years ago. I think it sums up what I look for in objects: it’s rare, it’s magic, it’s mysterious, unique…”

What is your relationship to art, are you a collector?

”Not really. Txema on the other hand, is. I buy mainly art from my artists friends: Albert Madaula, Berta Salinas, now I’m after something by Pau López. I also try to convince photographers that I work with to print a copy for me.”

At this time in the world, how do you resonate in your work about sustainability? 

“I felt so bad about throwing away everything I constructed that I just started this project with my brothers and sister. It’s called Estudio Banana and we mainly focus on renting walls, floors, furniture, objects that are basic enough to be featured in all kinds of projects so we don’t have to built over and over and over again the same exact stuff. We create too many rubbish in set design, so I think it’s both good for the planet and for clients budget to stop that non-sense.” 

What is a perfect day to you?

“Dream day: being alone in a sunny beach with trees, reading in the shadow and sunbathing and swimming in a very hot day in Summer but since that’s not possible because I have a little daughter that is super active.

A perfect work day: bringing her to school, having breakfast in On y va coffee shop and working 9 to 5 in my fantastic office that feels like home. Overviewing projects and working on Dream.

I also love to be in shoots in amazing new places and locations and with amazing teams, but since I don’t really like the 6 to 9 working hours… I can’t consider it perfect haha.

A perfect day off: sleeping until late, have breakfast with my family, exercising, showering and going out for a walk and to eat a paella (fav-day-off food) and drinking wine. Head back home to read all afternoon at the sofa and then cooking something for my family and having friends over for dinner. 

A perfect holiday day: either the dream day I mentioned above of visiting ruins and buildings all around the world.

I have a background in History so I guess that’s why I’m so attracted to old buildings and interiors, antiques.”

Where is your happy place?

“My office mostly when everybody leaves and I’m alone for some time. That moment <3

Do you have a favourite spot in your home?

“The reading nook in the corner of the living room. My bed. My bathroom floor (I love to lay down there a lot, before showering haha). And the small garden outside where I set up a couple of mattresses and chill in the shadow during the summer. “

A favourite place in the world?

“Cadaqués, a small village in north Catalonia.” ☮ 

Headboard and bench, designed by me and custom made. Floor lamp, found on the street. Ceiling lamp, Noguchi. Bed linens from Viso Project, Caroline Blue. Cushions from Zanzibar. Art by Pistoletto.

 

Drawings are Albert Madaula.

Picture of me by Txema Yeste. Paint is Farrow & Ball.