Electric Beast (Jamie Tao + Ruben Salavert)

ARTIST STATEMENT | Electric Beast

Behind the Beast, the collaborative force of collage artists Jamie Tao and Ruben Salavert.

Jamie is a Brazilian art director raised in Miami by a Scandinavian mother and a Chinese papai.

Ruben is a right-handed copywriter with a strong Spanish accent and selective narcolepsy.

They get inspired by old magazines, posters and books they have curated through the years, and transformed into layered compositions with psychedelic narratives.

Rooted in memory, chance, and cultural crossings, their practice embraces the surreal and the unexpected, allowing the subconscious to wander and slip in and out of their work.

When it comes to collaging, Jamie and Ruben believe there’s no right or wrong. That sense of freedom not only empowers them to explore further but also helps them read

potential mistakes in the process, as unique opportunities to be welcomed into the work. Textures, rips, and imperfections are also an important part that speaks to the artist’s creative journey.

Working with unique and collectable printed materials brings a sense of “rebirth” to collaging. All those old images become part of a new composition, working together for the

first time to tell a brand-new story. Well, who doesn’t like a good comeback!