Nikos Fyodor Rutkowski

Nikos Fyodor Rutkowski is a Columbus, OH, based artist, and Rituals of Renewal marks his first time exhibiting in Nashville. With works inspired by elusive identifications of humans through the specific means of masks, he alludes to themes of social, political, and environmental nature. The transformative adornments worn by our kind can be traced deep into history, beyond the years of operating rooms, Batman, and space exploration. When talking about his work, Rutkowski says that it speaks “to the power of masks, and ritual, and invok(es) the traditions of our human ancestors.” The purpose of the concealing devices we wear on our faces is not just to alter the persona of those beneath, but can also be utilized in times of need, despair, and uncertainty. The multiple uses of these accessories of anonymity can build communities or tear down nations. Sticking to his theme, Rutkowski builds his works in layers, using both mixed media and paint, allowing piles of shapes to depict what is to come. The under-paintings become demolished pasts of the forms that later shape the future surface of each work—the surface we are allowed to witness, unlike the others that are hidden beneath.

Rituals of Renewal, February 18 - March 18, 2023