Rebecca Rutstein

Philadelphia based artist, Rebecca Rutstein, explores abstraction inspired by her interest in geology, microbiology, marine science and the undercurrents that continually shape the physical world. Her paintings incorporate structural networks that articulate patterns found in nature, data, maps, micro and macro, handmade and mechanized, linear and solid. These visual experiences shed light on places and processes normally hidden from view and engage the viewer with a heightened connection to these enigmatic worlds.

Most recently Rustein has collaborated with scientists onboard research vessels working with sonar mapping data of the ocean floor. In November 2021, she traveled with a scientific expedition from the University of Georgia to the Gulf of California, off the Coast of Mexico. Rustein has the rare opportunity to travel to the ocean floor in the submersible “Alvin”. There she had the unique experience to see first-hand the network of organisms that communicate through the phenomenon of bioluminescence. In 2018–19, Rutstein was the Visiting Chair for the University of Georgia with a solo exhibition at the Georgia Museum of Art.

With over 25 solo exhibitions, Rebecca Rutstein has exhibited widely in museums, institutions and galleries throughout the United States and is the recipient of numerous awards. Her work is in the public collections of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts Museum, Temple University, Johns Hopkins Hospital & Albert Einstein College of Medicine, among others.

Rutstein holds a BFA from Cornell University (with study abroad in Rome) and an MFA from University of Pennsylvania. She has been a visiting artist at museums and universities across the US and enjoys speaking about the intersection of art and science.