masha ryskin
artist statement
A sense of place and belonging is increasingly important to me, especially since my immigration from the Soviet Union. As a result, my work explores landscape and its elements through direct experience of the environment around me. I take bits and pieces of my surroundings and assemble them into imaginary environments. The work investigates the concepts of history, personal memories, and everyday rituals, as well as identity and assimilation.
I am interested in human interaction with nature evidenced by the traces of our presence left in the landscape. My work directs attention to footprints, stains, and other overlooked elements that speak of the temporal quality of the human experience. The mundane materials, such as tea bags, recycled fabric, tea, and coffee, serve as records of our daily activities and gatherings, while the fragmented quality of the work alludes to the constant shifts that occur in memory and history.
masha ryskin & serge marchetta
artist bio
Masha Ryskin and Serge Marchetta met at CAMAC Art Center in France in 2009 and have developed a collaborative practice centered on installation, mixed media, and video. Working internationally across North America and Europe, Ryskin and Marchetta have exhibited in the United States, Canada, Finland, Norway, the Netherlands, Slovakia, and Israel. Their collaborative practice has been supported through numerous international residencies and fellowships, including an invitational residency at Pouch Cove Foundation, Ragdale Foundation, Oberpfälzer Künstlerhaus, VCCA, Fiskars Artist Village, SIM, and KHN Messen.
Ryskin and Marchetta have lectured internationally, including at Brown University, SUNY Fredonia, Sweet Briar College, and Bezalel Art Academy. Their collaborative work has been featured in publications including Montreal Serai Magazine, Art New England, and Newport Now.
Serge Marchetta earned a BFA at Université du Québec à Montréal in 1995 after eighteen years working at the Canada Post. He has participated in numerous solo and group exhibitions in Montreal, the Province of Québec, Europe and United States. He has participated in artist residencies in Europe, and the United States and is a recipient of grants from Fondation Ténot, France, Le CALC, and Société de Développement des Entreprises Culturelles du Québec. He is also a curator and is co-founder of the non-profit organization C2S Arts et Événements.
Masha Ryskin is an immigrant artist from the Former Soviet Union. Her work has been exhibited both in the United States and internationally. Her work has been reviewed in publications including The New York Times. She earned a BFA in 1995 from Rhode Island School of Design and MFA from University of Michigan in 1997. Ryskin is a two-time Fulbright fellow and a recipient of numerous grants and awards from Foundation Tenot, NYFA, and Rhode Island Arts Council. She is currently professor at Rhode Island School of Design.