Christophe Ruckhäberle to complete residency with exhibition of new works

An opening reception featuring the work of German artist Christoph Ruckhäberle, recipient of the Schick Art Gallery 2007 Artist Residency Competition, begins at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 17, at the gallery.

Admision is free and open to the public. Ruckäberle has used the gallery space as a working studio to complete a series of paintings over the past month. During that time, students and the public have had a chance to view his process and interact with the artist at limited times.

A figurative painter represented by Zach Feuer Gallery in New York since 2004, Ruckhäberle has gained much attention in recent years, including being featured in the Saatchi Gallery. He has exhibited in Austria, Copenhagen, London, Paris, Korea, and Prague. A master of composition, Ruckhäberle sees his paintings as rooms that set the stage for dancing, standing, and sitting figures dressed in simple clothes, who perform a variety of acts, often with blank stares or somber expressions. These characters, in classical poses, contrast with relaxed rooms that act as theatrical backdrops where play is carried out with grim faces and animated gestures. Stages with no directors, his paintings become places where boredom and possibility coexist.

The exhibition of will remain on display through Sunday, April 22. Gallery hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. during the week and from 1 to 4:30 p.m. on weekends. Admission is free and open to the public.