SITE UNSEEN
SPACE GALLERY
Denver, Colorado

AUG 21 – SEPT 26, 2020
Opening Reception: Fri, Aug 21, 6-9pm
RSVP: spacegallery.org

Rutstein’s first solo exhibition at Space Gallery consists of large-scale abstract paintings that reveal a fascinating world hidden from view, inspired by microbial networks and chemical processes that contribute to an an array of life thousands of meters below in the deep sea.

Site Unseen is a continuation of a project that began in 2018 through a collaboration between Rutstein and marine scientist Samantha Joye, which included a joint expedition at sea to study the origins of life at hydrothermal vents off the coast of Mexico in the Sea of Cortez. This culminated in a once in a lifetime opportunity to do a deep sea dive in the submersible Alvin to the ocean floor over a mile below, funded by the National Science Foundation. For more information contact Michael Burnett at: art@spacegallery.org

The Bower is nestled in the Ridge and Valley section of the Appalachian mountains. Inspiration for the sculpture came from an ecoregion map that highlights the “Pennsylvania Salient” showing the dramatic bends and folds of the Appalachian mountains as it runs through the middle of the state. Rutstein’s freestanding, plasma-cut Corten steel sculpture spans 9 x 67 feet, is 1 3/8” thick, and weighs 17 tons. The sculpture is situated in an inclined meadow surrounded by trails and wooded areas, with vantage points stretching from above and below. The expansive, cut out lines will be illuminated at night with solar powered lighting. The Bower will open to the public in Spring 2021.

For more information: https://thegardenbower.com/
Commission Inquiries: bmayer@bmayerart.com

The artists chosen for this residency, Talia Greene, Keith Hartwig and Rebecca Rutstein, were selected through a competitive process to work alongside scientists at the biotechnology company Integral Molecular. Working with scientists in the lab, they will each develop a creative project that will culminate in a solo exhibition of their artwork at the Science Center’s Esther Klein Gallery (EKG).

In 2017, the Science Center and Integral Molecular launched the BioArt Residency as an unparalleled artist-in-residence experience, enabling artists to immerse themselves in a laboratory environment and explore the complexities of scientific research. The artists’ creative interpretations serve to engage broader audiences and stimulate meaningful dialogue and awareness. The Edna W. Andrade Fund supports grants for local or national museums, or nonprofit art organizations that benefit visual fine artists in Greater Philadelphia.

In collaboration with members of the Ocean Memory Project, this article was collectively conceived and recently published in Scientific American. Read full article here.

Co-authors: John Baross, Peter Bradley, Lisa D’Amour, Jody Deming, Mandy Joye, Daniel Kohn (Kohnworkshop LabSpace), Christine Lee, Rebecca Rutstein, Heather Spence, Monique Michelle Verdin, Timothy Weaver, Anya Yermakova.
For more information: www.oceanmemoryproject.com

Image courtesy of the Artist and Bridgette Mayer Gallery, Philadelphia, PA.

Rutstein was selected to create an 11-piece corporate sculpture commission in downtown Houston. For more information, bmayer@bmayerart.com

Shift #7 (top) and Shift #23 (bottom), acrylic and gouache on paper, 12 x 12″, 2020.

View the entire collection of 12×12″ paintings created in quarantine with availability to purchase online here.

Renderings for “Ridge & Valley”, a 9′ x 67′ plasma-cut corten steel freestanding sculpture to be installed in August 2020.

The Bower is a developing 36-acre sculpture park and native landscape of meadows and woodland trails along the northern slope of the Appalachian Mountains in Central Pennsylvania. Ten artists were selected out of a competitive “Call for Art” process procured through Bridgette Mayer Art Advisors. Works will be installed during Summer 2020, and the Bower will open to the public in Spring 2021.

Rutstein has created works spanning painting, sculpture and public art inspired by geology and the natural world for the last 20 years. The inspiration for her monumental, site-specific sculpture included in this project is the US EPA Ecoregions map of Pennsylvania. The Bower Sculpture Park resides in the “Ridge & Valley” section, a diverse region stretching northeast and southwest along almost the entire length of the Appalachian Mountains. Rutstein’s freestanding, plasma-cut Corten steel sculpture spans 9 x 67 feet, is 1 3/8” thick, and weighs in at 17 tons. The sculpture will be situated in an inclined meadow surrounded by trails and wooded areas, with vantage points stretching from above and below. The expansive, cut out lines will be illuminated at night with solar powered lighting. “Ridge & Valley” is slated for completion by August 2020.

For more information: https://thegardenbower.com/

JUNE 19 & 20th, 2020

Rutstein is invited to the fifth workshop by the Ocean Memory Project, a seed seminar to explore ideas around Ocean Cognition & Genomics. The Ocean Memory Project is a diverse group of artists, scientists and professionals, funded by the National Academies of Sciences / Keck Futures Initiative exploring how the ocean can retain and express memory. Through the recording of past events and environmental changes, the ocean system may have much to teach us about the future and how we may respond to the uncertain but changing environmental conditions of our time.

Originally planned at the Virden Center on University of Delaware’s coastal campus near Cape Henlopen, due to Covid-19, this workshop has transitioned to a virtual seminar.

Murals all over the city
Murals can be found all over Philadelphia, thanks to the city’s Mural Arts program.
“Enjoying these works of art is fun and easy to do at a safe distance outdoors,” said Jane Golden, executive director of Mural Arts Philadelphia. “We hope the murals help remind Philadelphians of the beauty of our city and bring a sense of peace and hope to onlookers.”

If you want to take in some of these large-scale works, there’s plenty to explore.

Rutstein “Space Pad” designs commissioned by Mural Arts Philadelphia
for the City of Philadelphia’s “Step up to the Plate” public health campaign

Through a collaborative effort with Mural Arts Philadelphia, Broad Street Ministry, Department of Health and Human Services, Project Home and Muslims Serve, Rutstein was invited to create designs for “space pads”, floor decals that ensure required physical distancing. The “Step Up to the Plate” program provides meals, hand washing stations and medical care at City Hall in Center City and in Kensington, filling essential needs for Philly’s most vulnerable populations, while helping to keep them safe through social distance practices.

Critical Dialogues Series Presents: Rebecca Rutstein and Erik Cordes

Tyler School of Art welcomed Rebecca Rutstein & Dr. Erik Cordes for a virtual public lecture and BFA/MFA studio crits on April 22 & 23, 2020.

Brought together by a common interest in the deep sea, multi-disciplinary artist Rebecca Rutstein and Biologist & Ecologist Dr. Erik Cordes have been collaborating both at sea on research vessels and on land at Temple University where Erik is Professor and Vice Chair in the Department of Biology. Their current project is a multi-faceted vision for a coral-inspired art installation with an ecological purpose.

Photo by Steve Weinik for Mural Arts Philadelphia

Mural Arts Philadelphia has been hosting a series of online programming to keep audiences engaged and bring people together during the pandemic.
See this three-minute video that goes behind the scenes to capture the making of Rutstein’s Convergence Mural on the AT&T Building in Philadelphia.

Watch Video

In this mini podcast, hear Christopher Plant interview Rutstein about her experiences at sea as an artist-in-residence, diving in a deep sea submersible and the making of the AT&T mural. Listen Here.

JOURNEYS THROUGH WATER

Art Meets Science in the Salish Sea

APRIL 20– OCT 20, 2020  (Postponed due to Covid-19)

University of Washington, School of Oceanography Ocean Sciences Building, Seattle, Washington

VISITING ARTIST LECTURE & RECEPTION: APRIL 20, 2020

Rutstein is invited as a visiting artist to University of Washington to give a lecture and participate in an exhibition showcasing the work created and inspired by a multi-disciplinary expedition at sea with The Ocean Memory Project off the coast of Washington & British Columbia in the Salish Sea.

Exhibiting Artists:
Daniel Kohn
Rebecca Rutstein
Monique Verdin
Anya Yermakova

OCEAN SCIENCES MEETING
SAN DIEGO CONVENTION CENTER

FEB 16-21, 2020
Rutstein is attending and exhibiting works she created at sea on the Falkor Research Vessel with Schmidt Ocean Institute at the San Diego Convention Center, in conjunction with the Ocean Sciences Meeting (OSM).

OSM is the flagship conference for the ocean sciences and the larger ocean-connected community. With the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development beginning in 2021, this gathering of the scientific community will address raising public awareness of the truly global dimension of the ocean, environmental challenges, and set forth on a path towards a resilient planet.

GEORGIA MUSEUM OF ART
YALE UNIVERSITY
UNIVERSITY OF NEW MEXICO

Pictured above: Custom Rutstein commission for Yale University with Bridgette Mayer Art Advisors.
For commission inquires : bmayer@bmayerart.com

At the October 29th dedication of the AT&T Mural, Philadelphia City Council awarded Rutstein a “City of Philadelphia Resolution Recognizing and Honoring her for her Dedicated Service through Art to the City of Philadelphia” on behalf of her new mural on the AT&T building in Philadelphia.