Jan Christoffer Rutström

Artist's country of origin: Estonia

Jan Christoffer Rutström recently completed his MA Studies in Contemporary Art at the Estonian Academy of Arts. Two years earlier he completed his BA studies in Photography at Valand Academy in Gothenburg, Sweden. He has works in two collections. One work is in the art collector Bob Kelly’s collection. The rest in his parents’ storage. But if we can agree that art is in some sense immaterial, only finalized and hopefully stored in the mind of the audience, his works is featured in numerous collections world wide. His most important exhibitions have been his exam shows, these have lead not only to passing courses and exams but also to a release of an immeasurable amount of stress associated to passing these course and exams. The exhibitions he is most proud of are impromptu events and shows put together by people who have come to be friends. He works in a macgyveristic fashion where creativity in misuse are characteristics of every step of his creative process. From objects finding new functions; to a modular approach when it comes to the installation of the art; to bending of language when writing about it. He attempts to find ways to not see what things are but what they can be when called for. Inspired by his punk and grunge heroes his work, while one of passion, is marbled with imperfections. In these he finds a wabi-sabi beauty. Like most other people in creative industries he often works with themes that interest him. Language, philosophy, sound and music. And since art is one of his greatest interest this often reoccurs as a topic of his works. The works, while critical when it comes to art and philosophy topics, seems to himself to be comedic. He hopes that this is a thought or feeling shared by the audience. Not only because it lowers the guard of the receivers so that he can implant his ideas through the works, but also because he genuinely wishes to make people happier, or at least slightly amused.