Collection: Fragments: Intimate Details _ Duo Exhibit by Francisco Ramirez and Robertino Ragazza

KALEID Gallery is proud to present:

Fragments: Intimate Details
Paintings by Francisco Ramirez
Photography by Robertino Ragazza

Francisco Ramirez
My work explores the fragmented thoughts of my childhood, particularly the disorienting and often unsettling experience of migration. For this duo exhibition with Robertino Ragazza, titled Fragments: Intimate Details” I delve into the details of my memory of a journey undertaken in the dark of night, a journey marked by both fear and the disorienting child’s perspective. The images I create are emotional landscapes built from the lingering uncertainty of that time.

The sharp scent of gasoline, the rhythmic bounce of a truck bed on a rough road, the warmth radiating from a bus floor – these visceral fragments become the building blocks of my artistic expression. These experiences intertwine with the emotional weight of the unknown, The taste of a torta de jamon, the feeling of damp shoes on parched earth, the sepia glow of streetlights seen through a car window – these seemingly mundane details become potent symbols of a journey filled with uncertainty.

My art seeks to capture the in-between space blurred by the innocence of the past with the awareness of reality and experience. Like a child piecing together a confusing narrative, I assemble fragments of memory, emotion, and sensation to create a visual representation that gives a glimpse of the complex realities of displacement and the enduring power of family connection. The recurring motifs of sunrises, symbolizes the promise of a new beginning, resilience, hope, determination and identity.

Robertino Ragazza
For this duo exhibition with Francisco Ramirez, titled “Fragments: Intimate Details,” I’ve embarked on a deeply personal journey through my existing body of work, seeking to create a new series that resonates with the exhibition’s theme. My process begins with a meditative sorting of my photographs, mentally categorizing each image and exploring the fragmented memories it evokes. I consider the familiar and unfamiliar experiences and environments they represent, particularly the wonder, disorientation, and sometimes unsettling nature of navigating daily life, whether in familiar surroundings or during travels to new and unfamiliar places. This reflective process allows me to curate a cohesive collection of images.

Capturing these images is, for me, a form of journaling, an extension of my very being. I immerse myself in the sensory details and subtle nuances of each moment, documenting my daily journey with a sense of wonder at the new places I encounter. These images become more than just photographs; they transform into visual journals of my memories, emotional landscapes built from the lingering sensations of the time and place they were captured.

Each piece in this series explores life’s nuances, innocence, and awareness, blurring the lines between reality and dream. Like a child piecing together a complex puzzle, each photograph becomes a fragment of memory, emotion, and sensation, forming a visual language that speaks to the complex realities of my daily life and my connection with others.

Each photo also symbolizes the promise of a new beginning, a guiding light through the shadows of my daily existence. Ultimately, this series is a collage of my life, a visual journal of my trials and tribulations, a powerful representation of my evolving identity.

Artists’ Reception: First Friday March 7th 5pm–9pm
Exhibition Dates: March 7 – 28, 2025

Gallery Hours: Thursdays – *Fridays 12–7pm, Saturdays 12–5pm, and *First Fridays 5–9pm during ArtWalk SJ.

KALEID Gallery
320 So. 1st St., San Jose
info@kaleidgallery.com
408-947-1785