Ruslan Vashkevich. About the Artist

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Ruslan Vashkevich is one of the most striking and original contemporary Belarusian artists—always surprising, provocative, eccentric, and intelligent. His art entertains, challenges, and dares to be bold.

Vashkevich’s work is both narrative and figurative, yet it consistently conveys a sense of topicality. This alignment with the radical trends of contemporary art reflects his unique creative vision. His artistic philosophy revolves around what he calls “the plasticity of thought,” a concept that informs every aspect of his work. This vision results in his distinct, almost deliberately plain style, often borrowed from the aesthetics of mass culture. His monochromatic palette and seemingly indifferent use of color create a documentary-like authenticity to his curious, unconventional images.

At its core, Vashkevich’s approach to art can be summarized as “Art as strategy.” He examines the very essence of art, recontextualizing its elements by deconstructing or reassembling them in unexpected ways. By offering a fresh perspective on classical works and challenging established artistic traditions, he exposes or even dismantles their supposed sanctity. Beneath the surface simplicity of his art lies a deeply complex purpose: to provoke thought, challenge perceptions, and inspire a deeper understanding of creativity.

Ruslan Vashkevich

“An artist has no right to stand firmly with both feet on the ground—it’s an inconvenient position for flight. It’s far better to be cornered, at odds with the entire world,” Vashkevich once remarked. This idea captures the essence of his approach to art: a refusal to conform and a commitment to pushing boundaries.

When discussing his creative process, Vashkevich provides insights into the intricate layers of his artistry:

"When working on an exhibition or project, I don’t unload my problems onto the audience or scare them with unexpected answers. What excites me is starting a phrase, composing an algorithm, and inviting the audience to join in. I aim to show them the principles behind the creative process. The more complex the task, the more innovative the solution. In fact, the most captivating and dramatic results come from unsolvable problems. These challenges often yield answers that are especially pure and artistic. Yet, there’s something uniquely liberating when the goals are unclear or when there are no defined tasks at all. This frees the artist from a false sense of responsibility and allows unrestricted creativity to flourish. I’m not here to teach anyone; more often than not, it’s me who learns from the process. This emancipation fuels my art. Each of my works is, in some way, an undisguised provocation—a theoretical maze of feelings, a dance of ideas, always with a positive motive. I believe in the triumph of common sense, so I use a diverse array of techniques to reveal the ambiguity of an image. Recently, I’ve come to see painting as a template, a plot for escaping reality, or even a rehearsal for another life."

Through his thought-provoking and daring work, Ruslan Vashkevich continues to redefine the boundaries of contemporary art, offering a rich interplay of intellect, emotion, and innovation.

Ruslan Vashkevich was born in 1966 in Minsk, Belarus.
1992 - graduated from the Belarusian Academy of Arts, Minsk, Belarus
1993 – training, Hannover, Germany
since 1995 - member of the Belarusian Artists' Union
since 1999 - member of Cite Internationale des Arts, Paris
2001 - training, Kunstlerhaus Boswil, Switzerland
2007 – training, Cite Internationale des Arts, Paris

Solo exhibitions:
1994 "Two steps forward", Kovcheg (Ark) Gallery, Minsk, Belarus
1996 Republican Art Gallery, Minsk, Belarus
1996 S`ART Gallery, Moscow, Russia
1997 Pieter Breughel gallery, Amsterdam, Holland
1997 M`ARS gallery, Moscow, Russia
1997 Counsil of Europe, Strasbourg, France
1997 "Second Hand", S`ART gallery, Moscow, Russia
1998 "Second Second Hand", Pieter Breughel gallery, Amsterdam, Holland
1998 "Second Second Hand", Zhilbel gallery, Minsk, Belarus
1999 Cite Internationale des Arts, Paris, France
1999 "Five seasons", Mastatstva gallery, Minsk, Belarus
1999 "Experience field", Gallery of European Humanitarian University, Minsk, Belarus
2000 d`Haudrecy gallery, Knokke, Belgium
2000 Cartel gallery, Granada, Spain
2000 Eastwick gallery, Chicago, USA
2000 "Second Second Hand", Central House of Artists, Moscow, Russia
2000 "Second Second Hand - erotic version", S`ART gallery, Moscow, Russia
2001 Cartel gallery, Granada, Spain
2001 "Kunstlishe Atmung", Goldenes Kalb gallery, Aarau, Switzerland
2001 "Force Majeure", Royden Prior gallery, Windsor, Eton, UK
2001 "Force Majeure", Vaal gallery, Tallinn, Estonia
2002 d`Haudrecy gallery, Knokke, Belgium
2002 "Vincent van Gogh Memorial House", Terra des Homes gallery, Minsk, Belarus
2003 De Twee Pauwen gallery, the Hague, Netherlands
2003 "Handy-Mandy", Zhilbel gallery, Minsk, Belarus
2003 "Handy-Mandy", Royden Prior gallery, Windsor, Eton, UK
2003 Art-Manege, Moscow, Russia
2004 "Trouble with Classicists", Gallery of European Humanitarian University, Minsk, Belarus
2004 De Twee Pauwen gallery, Den Haag, Netherlands
2004 Museum of Musical Instruments, Roma, Italy
2005 Gallery Civica Saint-Vincent, Aosta, Italy
2005 Art gallery, Polotsk, Belarus
2006 Gallery L`elogio Dell`Effimero, Casale, Italy
2006 "Happy Endian", Museum of Contemporary Art, Minsk, Belarus
2006 "Crime in Paradise", Collection gallery, Kiev, Ukraine
2007 "Socia", Tallinn, Estonia
2007 "The End of the World", Collection gallery, Kiev, Ukraine
2007 “RW++++”, the National Museum of History and Art, Minsk, Belarus
2007 De Twee Pauwen gallery, Den Haag, Netherlands
2008 “Rhymes”, Podzemka gallery, Minsk, Belarus
2009 “M+W”, Museum of Contemporary Art, Parnu, Estonia
2009 Art-Manege, Moscow, Russia
2010 “Richter Scale”, U Gallery, Minsk, Belarus
2011 “Museum”, the National Art Museum, Minsk, Belarus
2011 Art-Manege, Moscow, Russia
2011 De Twee Pauwen gallery, Den Haag, Netherlands

Selected group exhibitions:
1996 Bel-Art-Tranzit, Central House of Artists, Moscow, Russia
1996 Art-Manege, Moscow, Russia
1996 Art-Moscow, Central House of Artists, Moscow, Russia
1997 "Modern Art of Belarus", Republican Art gallery, Minsk, Belarus
1997 "The world of sensuality in art - the end of the 20th century", Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts, Moscow, Russia
1998 Sotheby's (charitable auction), hotel Metropol, Moscow, Russia
1999 "Heroes", Small Manege, Moscow, Russia
1999 "New collection", Museum of Contemporary Art, Minsk, Belarus
2000 "Spanish party", Museum of Contemporary Art, Minsk, Belarus
2001 "Vorwiegend heiter", Kunstlerhaus Boswil, Switzerland
2002, 2006 "Man&Woman", Museum of New Art, Parnu, Estonia
2002 "Enigmas", Marsha Child gallery, Princeton, USA
2002 Boston Art Fair, USA
2003 Escape Pierre-Cardin, Paris, France
2003 "Art-Constitution", Museum of Contemporary Art, Moscow, Russia
2004 "Modern Art of Belarus", Museum of Contemporary Art, Almelo, Netherlands
2005 "Balota Empire", The Centre of Modern Art, Kiev, Ukraine
2005 Art-Moscow, Central House of Artists, Moscow, Russia
2005 51st International Art Biennale di Venizia, Venice, Italy
2005 Arte Padova, Padova, Italy
2006 Arte Genova, Genova, Italy
2006 Art-Madrid, Madrid, Spain
2006 Arte Parma, Parma, Italy
2006 "Man&Woman", Museum of Contemporary Art, Parnu, Estonia
2007 “New Angelarius”, Moscow Museum of Contemporary Art, Moscow, Russia
2008 “Unknown Russia - 6”, Museum of Contemporary Russian Art, New Jersey, USA
2008 The 1st Biennial of Belarusian Contemporary Art, Minsk, Belarus
2008 “Ost Lockt / East Up”, Romerapotheke gallery, Zurich, Switzerland
2009 “Gender Check”, MUMOK, Vienna, Austria
2009 Q Contemporary Gallery, Beirut, Lebanon
2009 “Illusions, Hoaxes and Reallity”, the Academy of Art, Minsk, Belarus
2010 “Gender Check”, Zacheta gallery, Warsaw, Poland
2010 “Cinema-4”, Marc Chagall Museum, Vitebsk, Belarus
2010 “Alla Gloria Military", Aircraft Gallery, Bratislava, Slovakia
2010 “Booby Trap 2.0”, Q Contemporary Gallery, Beirut, Lebanon
2010 14th Vilnius Painting Triennial, “False Recognition”, Contemporary Art Centre, Vilnius, Lithuania
2010 ART-KYIV Contemporary 2010 , Kyiv, Ukraine
2010 “Opening the Doors? Belarusian Art Today”, Contemporary Art Centre, Vilnius, Lithuania
2011 “2011: A Space Odyssey”, the Arsenal, Kyiv, Ukraine
2011 “Cinematograph - 5” , Marc Chagall Museum, Vitebsk, Belarus
2011 Opening the Doors? Belarusian Art Today”, Zacheta Gallery, Warsaw, Poland
2011 «She Cannot Say HEAVEN», Art-Vilnius Expo, Vilnius, Lithuania

Curatorial projects:
1999 “Experimental Field”, the Art Gallery of the European Humanities University, Minsk Belarus
1999 “Five Seasons”, “Mastatstva” art Gallery, Minsk, Belarus
2000 “Spanish Opening”, the Museum of Contemporary Art, Minsk, Belarus
2000 «Second Second Hand», the Central House of Artist, Moscow, Russia
2009 “Belarusian Pavilion at 53d Venice Biennale”, BelExpo Exhibition Center, Minsk, Belarus