Ruti de Vries

How did you get into making art?

Since I can remember myself, I’m creating things which reflect on what I see or how I feel. Through the years I am creating my own personal language, one that continues to develop as an integral path in my life journey.

What are you currently working on?

I’m working on my first museum solo show that will open in March 2023 at Nahum Gutman Museum, Tel Aviv-Yafo. It is a site specific project, where I react to the history of the building, which was used as a ‘writers’ house’ at the beginning of the 20th century.

The exhibition will act as a parallel universe comprising domestic and human objects that move between the known and unknown, between reality and imagination.

What inspired you to get started on this body of work?

This body of work started to emerge two years ago, when I was moving to a new house. I thought of house attributes as living objects, imaginating how they would behave if they had human senses, how they would react to life happenings. I was also thinking about the representation of the home I grew up in, as well as my grandparents’ home, which is a major inspiration for me (my grandmother was also an artist), and is actually an intimate place where you first get to know the world.

Do you work on distinct projects or do you take a broader approach to your practice?

I create constantly. I feel it’s not even a choice any more, it is a substantial part of my daily routine. I try to understand what is happening to me in the present time, and how an exhibition can reflect on my work at a certain period of time. I usually create installations in which I try to reveal new ideas in various spaces and times.

What’s a typical day like in your studio?

I like to move around the studio, between different spots, while working with various materials; sewing fabrics, wood cutting, painting, collage and assemblage.

For the past year I’ve been trying to observe the way I work. The rhythm of my motions, the time which I take to reflect on what I have done. I’m very attentive to the present moment, which makes my studio practice different on each day.

Who are your favorite artists?

Currently I’m very into Dorothea Tanning. I feel a strong connection to her work. Her surrealism motives, such as the connection between animals and humans, I extremely relate to, it is a subject matter I deal with in my works.

Where do you go to discover new artists?

As for my broader approach to what is art and learning about interesting artists, sometimes these discoveries may be found on the street, sometimes on the web or while traveling.