Igor Ruf
Igor Ruf (b. 1984, Virovitica, Croatia) studied Sculpture at the Academy of Fine Arts in Zagreb, graduating in 2010. Since then, he has been actively participating in the art scene, presenting his works at numerous exhibitions. He has received several awards for his work, including the Vlastimir Kusik Award at the 29th Slavonian Biennale in 2024, the Radoslav Putar Award in 2014, the Grand Prize at the Croatian Sculpture Triennale in 2012, and the Award at the 31st Salon of Young Artists in 2012. In addition to his work as an artist, he is involved in theatre scenography and teaching. He is currently an Associate Professor in the Sculpture Department at the Academy of Fine Arts in Zagreb. His works can be found in the Virovitica City Museum, the Antun Augustinčić Collection in Klanjec, and in private collections.
Through his objects, sculptures, installations, and performances, Igor Ruf explores how space, atmosphere, and events can be shaped and interpreted, focusing on both the material and immaterial aspects of everyday life. His work examines the everyday, where surreal motifs and common objects often coexist, creating new and unexpected connections that invite reflection and interpretation. In his recent projects, he focuses on a self-reflective analysis of artistic production, questioning its meaning, context, and role in society and culture.
Recent solo exhibitions: Soft Matter, Studio 21, Split (2023);, Tikolo mikuze, MKC Amphitheater of the Youth Center, Split (2022); Acoustic Turbo Sonic Momentum, Gallery 90–60–90, Pogon Jedinstvo, Zagreb (2022); Pavić, Čabraja, Ruf, Kazamat Gallery, Osijek (2019); It Feels Good to Be Here, Art Workshop Lazareti, Dubrovnik (2019); It Feels Good to Be Here, Salon Galić, Split (2018); It Feels Good to Be Here, Museum of Contemporary Art, Zagreb (2018),; Kondor, que pasa?, Greta Gallery, Zagreb (2018),; Hairdresser’s Salon for a Hill, Institute for Contemporary Art, Zagreb (2016).
Recent group exhibitions: I’m Laughing… LMHO, Museum of Contemporary Art, Zagreb, Croatia (2022); the 28th Slavonian Biennale, Cultural Center, Osijek, Croatia (2022); 57th Zagreb Salon: We Appeared as a Strategy of Eternity, Croatian Association of Artists (HDLU), Meštrović Pavilion, Zagreb, Croatia (2022); Ateliers Žitnjak in BiH, Art Gallery of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Sarajevo, BiH (2021); Kondor, que pasa?, Performance Art Festival, Knifer Gallery, Osijek, Croatia (2020); T-HT Award@MSU, Museum of Contemporary Art, Zagreb, Croatia (2019).
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2023 Soft matter, Studio 21, Split, Croatia
2022 Tikolo mikuze, MKC Amphitheatre, Split, Croatia
2022 Acoustic turbo sonic momentum, 90–60–90 Gallery, Zagreb, Croatia
2019 Pavić, Čabraja, Ruf, Kazamat Gallery, Osijek, Croatia
2019 I like being here, Lazareti Art Workshop, Dubrovnik, Croatia
2019 I like being here, Salon Galić, Split, Croatia
2018 I like being here, Museum of Contemporary Art, Zagreb, Croatia
2018 Condor, que pasa?, Greta Gallery, Zagreb, Croatia
2016 Hairdresser for the Hill, Institute for Contemporary Art, Zagreb, Croatia
2015 Građeninarac, the Eye and the Cave, AŽ Gallery, Zagreb, Croatia
2015 The Cave, HAZU Gliptotheque, Zagreb, Croatia
2014 The House of Tarzan’s Mom, Academia Moderna, Zagreb, Croatia
2014 The Exhibiton of Hills, Furniture and Walking Spaces, MKC, Split, Croatia
2013 The Exhibiton of Hills, Furniture and Walking Spaces, SC Gallery, Zagreb, Croatia
2013 The Unexpected (with Neven Bilić and Alem Korkut), Kortil Gallery, Rijeka, Croatia
2013 North, South, East, Jam and Boom, Plevnik Kronkowska Gallery, Celje, Slovenia
2013 Bure baruta (with Vlatka Škoro and Ana Petrović), Kazamat Gallery, Osijek, Croatia
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2024 29th Slavonia Biennale, Osijek, Croatia
2022 I laugh…LMHO, Museum of Contemporary Art, Zagreb, Croatia
2022 28th Slavonia Biennale, Cultural center, Osijek, Croatia
2022 57th Zagreb Salon – We Appeared as a Strategy of Eternity, HDLU, Meštrović pavillion, Zagreb, Croatia
2022 Antun Augustinčić Gallery – Collection 1992 – 2022, Antun Augustinčić Gallery, Klanjec, Croatia
2021 Žitnjak Ateliers in B&H, B&H Art Gallery, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
2020 Condor, que pasa?, Performance Art Festival, Knifer Gallery, Osijek, Croatia
2019 T-HT AWARD, Museum of Contemporary Art, Zagreb, Croatia
2019 Spaces of Landscape, HDLU, Meštrović Pavillion, Zagreb, Croatia
2018 Nature, Society and Other Stories, Poreč Art Annale, Poreč, Croatia
2017 T-HT AWARD, Museum of Contemporary Art, Zagreb, Croatia
2017 This Reality They Chased, Lectoure Center for Art and Photography, Lectoure, France
2016 Re(Thinking) Space and Place, Flottmann-Hallen, Herne, Germany
2015 T-HT AWARD, Museum of Contemporary Art, Zagreb, Croatia
2015 Sextant, Nurture Art Gallery, New York, USA
2014 Radoslav Putar Award – Finals 2014., Galženica Gallery, Velika Gorica, Croatia
2014 Scenes od Light, for Julius, Kazamat Gallery, Osijek, Croatia
2014 T-HT AWARD, Museum of Contemporary Art, Zagreb, Croatia
2013 38th Split Salon, Cellars of Diocletian’s Palace, Split, Croatia
2012 31st Youth Salon, HDLU, Meštrović Pavillion, Zagreb, Croatia
2012 Here we are 3, Third International Manifestation of Visual Arts, Pula, Croatia
2012 XI. Croatian sculpture triannial, HAZU Glipthoteque, Zagreb, Croatia
AWARDS
2024 Vlastimir Kusik Award, 29th Slavonia Biennale, Osijek, Croatia
2017 10th THT Award -Special Mention, Zagreb, Croatia
2014 Radoslav Putar Award, Zagreb, Croatia
2014 24th Slavonian Biennale – special mention
2012 31st Youth Salon – Grand Prix
2012 XI. Croatian Sculpture Triennial – Grand Prix
RESIDENCIES
2021 Cité internationale des arts, Paris, France
2017 Artist Exchange, Düsseldorf, Germany
2015 International studio & curatorial program, New York, USA
2013 One sided Story, Spinnerei, Leipzig, Germany
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