Ruttkowski; 68 Paints a Portrait of New American Life

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Summary

  • Ruttkowski; 68 in New York is presenting We the Structures, a new group show bringing together work by American artists February James, Baseera Khan and Andrew Kass
  • The exhibition explores structure as a medium and subject, from personal and psychic life, family systems, urban infrastructure and the spiritual

With the U.S. heading towards its 250th birthday, art museums nationwide are exploring the current state of the country through their exhibits. From the 2026 Whitney Biennial to the MONUMENTS show at LACMA, these exhibitions are examining history to help us understand the future, and New York’s Ruttkowski;68 gallery is joining the conversation with a new group show.

I checked out this art show, We the Structures, and it really got me thinking. It’s on until May 9th and features artists like February James, Andrew Kass, and Baseera Khan. It’s all about how things are built – not just buildings, but the emotional and social stuff that holds our lives together. The gallery says it’s a reminder that art can actually create things that our everyday systems sometimes fail to, and honestly, I totally get that. It makes you look at everything differently.

This exhibition playfully moves between formal structure and a more free-flowing arrangement, mirroring its themes of public and private life. Artist James, who mainly uses oil pastel, acrylic, and charcoal, focuses on the idea of family. Her large artworks, “Let’s Make Our Dreams Synchronize” and “Love is the Only Solution??,” explore the emotional heart of the home, looking at the memories and traditions that are carried down through familiar objects.

Kass presents pieces from his ‘A Little About Lots’ and ‘PLAQUE’ collections, turning his attention to the city as a subject. By bringing the materials and language of urban renewal into the gallery, he reveals the hidden structures of work and neglect, prompting us to think about how we relate to the spaces and communities around us. Simultaneously, Khan, who examines the interplay between spirituality and control, explores sacred locations. Their paintings and installations investigate systems of faith and power, powerfully demonstrated by “Painful Arc, Shoulder-High I”—a striking violet archway featuring the shadows of dancing figures.

So, I checked out this new art exhibit, and the curators, Roseline Michael Neveling and Leo Fitzpatrick, explained it’s basically a snapshot of the art scene around them right now. They described it as a hopeful look at how artists support each other, fix things, and build towards something better. They put it really well – it feels like seeing the first draft of something amazing that’s still being created.

We the Structures is now on view in New York. Head to the gallery’s website for more information.

Ruttkowski;68 New York
46 Cortlandt Alley,
New York, NY 10013

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2026-04-28 21:56