Born 1996 in Košice, Slovakia.
Currently lives and works in Bratislava, Slovakia, and Ostrava, Czech Republic.
For Slovak artist Jakub Ružinský, archetypes and visual narratives are at the core of his practice. His mostly large-scale, dynamic paintings blend historical references with contemporary commentary, weaving elements of medieval iconography, symbolism, and personal mythology into striking compositions. Ružinský’s work often explores the tension between mysticism and modernity, juxtaposing fantastical, psychedelic aesthetics with the raw expressiveness of neo-expressionism.
Trained in painting techniques, Ružinský experiments with diverse media, including oil, acrylic, and mixed techniques. His artistic language bridges the intricate symbolism of illuminated manuscripts with the oscillating ethos of metamodernism, navigating between irony and sincerity, nostalgia and innovation. Through his work, Ružinský examines the evolving meanings of archetypes and spiritual motifs, recontextualizing them within the fragmented yet interconnected narratives of today’s cultural and societal transformations. His paintings invite viewers to engage with a world where the past and future converge, creating a dynamic dialogue shaped by the complexities of the present.
- Email: jkb.ruzinsky@gmail.com
- Instagram: @jakub_ruzinsky
Education
2020 — 2023 / Master's degree at the Faculty of Fine Arts and Music, University of Ostrava, CZ – Painting Studio I – Department of Painting (prof. Daniel Balabán)
2017 — 2020 / Bachelor's degree at the Faculty of Fine Arts and Music, University of Ostrava, CZ – Painting Studio I – Department of Painting (prof. Daniel Balabán)
2012 — 2016 / School of Applied Art Košice, SK – Conservation and restoration (Painting techniques)
Education at other institution
2002 — 2016 / Primary Art School – Art Department, Kováčska 43, Košice, SK
Award
2024 / 3th place of 17th Prize of Art Critics for Young Painting, Galerie Kritiků, Praha, CZ
Residencies
2022 / April – PAIKKA Retreat — Exploring The Subconscious, Nagymaros, HU
Festivals
2024 / Open Studios Ostrava, Fráni Šrámka 5, Ostrava, CZ
2023 / BRUTAL ASSAULT, Jaroměř, CZ
2023 / Open Studios Ostrava, Fráni Šrámka 5, Ostrava, CZ
2022 / Festival současného umění Prostějov, Prostějov, CZ
2022 / Festival LUFT, Provoz u Řeky, Ostrava, CZ
2021 / Festival Deziluze, Březnice u Příbrami, CZ
2020 / POKOJE 2020: Stay Home Edition, Praha, CZ
2020 / OCHO AVP fest, Ostrava, CZ
2019 / Tehláreň, Liptovský Mikuláš, SK
Solo shows (selected)
2024 / Faulty Dreams, MiNa Art Space, Košice, SK
2023 / Meanwhile in Reality, Galéria Jula Bindera, Banská Štiavnica, SK
2023 / Anyway to Nowhere, Hair Train Gallery, Bohumín, CZ
2023 / GEMINI SEASON / Kalerie s čupr uměním SAIGON, Ostrava, CZ
2023 / HALFWAY TO NOWHERE / NA PŮLCESTĚ NIKAM, Galerie DOLE, Ostrava, CZ
2022 / WELCOME TO THE JUNG LE, Spaza Space, Praha, CZ
2022 / Space Monkeys, Galerie současného umění Prostějov, Prostějov, CZ
2019 / Inner Demons, kavárna Maryčka, Ostrava, CZ
Group shows (selected)
2024 / Repeated Survey / Návratný průzkum: Ostrava, GHMP, Praha, CZ
2024 / Amalgamator, 101 Dump Gallery, Almaty, KZ
2024 / OVA: Návštěvníci, Galerie Sibiř, Brno, CZ
2024 / Peaceful Life, Galerie kritiků, Palác Adria, Praha, CZ
2024 / Postprism, Gočárova galerie v Automatických mlýnech, Pardubice, CZ
2024 / CK17, Galerie kritiků, Palác Adria, Praha, CZ
2024 / Enjoy!, SZALFYNSTER, Katowice, PL
2023 / Mastercraft, GDM Contemporary, Ostrava, CZ
2023 / Spirit Open, Szczecin Philharmonic, Szczecin, PL
2023 / DIPLOMKY 2023, PLATO (Bauhaus), Ostrava, CZ
2023 / Souzním, brečím, nepoklečím, PLATO, Ostrava, CZ
2022 / Krypto, Galerie Půda, Český Těšín, CZ
2022 / Výstava studentu atelieru Malby 1 OSU, Galerie Pranýř, Rýmařov, CZ
2021 / Mythology Heritage / Dědictví mytologie, DUÚL, Ústí nad Labem, CZ
2021 / Group Show in The Empty Gallery, SHRINE Gallery, NYC
2020 / 7x7, Antikvariát a klub Fiducia, Ostrava, CZ
2020 / Mištexit, Kalerie s čupr uměním Saigon, Ostrava, CZ
2019 / OSTRAW, Spreeviera Galerie. Berlín, DE
2019 / Výstava bývalých absolventov, Galéria K43, Košice, SK
2018 / PERMUTACE, kavárna Maryčka, Ostrava, CZ
2018 / Čierna noc, Košický hrad, Košice, SK