Dila Ramos' photography is a testament to the history and cultural identity of her community. Based in Puerto Cabello, she has spent nearly a decade capturing the richness of folk traditions, exploring how the documentary and the aesthetic can intertwine to tell stories that transcend time. Through her lens, Dila turns the street into a living archive, a visual testimony to the traditions that continue to mark the pulse of the community. Her work invites us to look beyond the obvious, to discover in each image the story of a people who transform urban space into an act of resistance and celebration.
Her oeuvre in our exhibition 'CALLE' reminds us that every corner, every face and every popular celebration is a fragment of a history in constant construction. Beyond the visible, the street reveals stories of struggle, belonging and resistance that, thanks to artists like Dila Ramos, find a place in the collective memory.
‘Hamaqueros - She is already dead, we have to bury her!’
The "Baile de la Hamaca" is a tradition that has its origins in Curaçao. Declared a Cultural Asset of the Nation (2018), the "Hamaca" represents a symbolic universe that interweaves music, dance, song and theatre, and was introduced more than a hundred years ago by the first founding families of the Barrio San Millán in Puerto Cabello. More than just a dance, the "Hamaca" is synonymous with resistance, ancestry and the continuity of Afro-descendant traditions that have regulated the social fabric of the region over time. Its longevity testifies to the deep attachment of the San Millanera community (so called "hamaqueros") to their history, their roots and their rich cultural diversity.
Dila Ramos (*1992) is a photographer and social communicator (with a mention in audiovisuals) based in Puerto Cabello, Venezuela. She has dedicated almost a decade to exploring the traditional manifestations of her city and other states of her country, celebrating her Latin American roots through a body of work that combines documentary photography with fashion. Throughout her career, she has captured the essence of everyday life and local artistic manifestations, creating a visual corpus that reflects the diversity and dynamism of her community today. Her work is not limited to photography; she is also actively involved in projects that promote arts and culture, working with local organisations to produce workshops and events that celebrate cultural identity.
