Rami Ater

What or who inspired you to want to be an artist?

I have been drawn to art as long as I remember myself. As a child, I was amazed by the work of  artists such as Magritte and Dalí (who is one of my favorite artists) but I cannot say that a specific person was the reason I became an artist.

I think that being an artist is something you are born to do. Some people are lucky enough to fulfill this destiny.

What was your creative journey that has brought you to where you are in your career today?

My first artistic field was photography. I had my Pentax [camera] on me all the time; I was trying to catch the moment…

Since it didn’t feel like enough, I started expressing myself through poetry. After my first book, I decided that as a visual person, I should return to and focus on visual arts. I started working with iron unexpectedly, and once I did, I found it as the perfect material I can use to express myself.

What do you need as an artist today?

Opening doors.

My current project is a solo exhibition in TLV Artists’ House called Obscurity of Oblivion, opening April 6th.

My next project Human Memory is almost ready, and I am already working on a new project – On the Way.

Doing my art, exhibiting in new places, selling more of my work.

What does it mean to you to be an Israeli artist?

On one hand, living in Israel always evokes new subjects and inspirations. On the other hand, sometimes life in Israel is so intense that I can’t find the peace and quiet I need to create my art.

What does it mean to you to have an organization like the America-Israel Cultural Foundation supporting Israeli culture in the past 78 years?

Artists needs their art to be seen and heard, I am no exception.

I want the world to see my art and think about what I am trying to say. This is something that is not easy to do when you live in the Middle East.

I am new to AICF and am not fully familiar with its activities, but it is very reassuring to see that there is a well established organization that helps Israeli artists.