Contemporary Art Matters is pleased to present an exhibition of new mixed-media paintings by Nikos Fyodor Rutkowski in our Viewing Room gallery. The titles of his two featured series, Singularity and Basilisk, convey the potent themes he explores within these vibrant abstract works. The exhibition will be on view October 20 through November 20, 2025 at the gallery’s 243 N. 5th Street, Columbus, OH, location.

At the heart of Nikos Fyodor Rutkowski’s bold mixed-media paintings are delicate, transparent sewing patterns. Layering this translucent, tissue-like material, he employs collage as a drafting tool to construct abstract compositions that engage with complex scientific and philosophical ideas. In these works, highly charged colors surge from behind overlapping geometric forms, suggesting a powerful energy driving the motion within the painting. Drawing inspiration from concepts such as Singularity and the evolving role of Artificial Intelligence in society, Rutkowski offers a visual meditation on technology and perception. Describing his Basilisk series, he writes, “These paintings are loosely designed to be disruptive to recognition by AI, and actively stab at the eye of the basilisk. The controlled ‘randomness’ and layered colors are intended to counter AI analysis. The details and interactions of color within each work reassert the hand of the artist and underscore the importance of viewing the work in person.”

Nikos Fyodor Rutkowski (b. 1979, Columbus, OH) lives and works in Columbus, Ohio. He grew up in Columbus and, after attending the arts-focused high school Fort Hayes, received his Bachelor of Fine Arts in 2008 from the Columbus College of Art and Design. Rutkowski has participated in numerous solo and group exhibitions across the United States. In 2023, his work was featured in Rituals of Renewal, a two-person exhibition at Modfellows Art Gallery, Nashville, TN. In 2020, he was the subject of a solo exhibition, Personae, at Contemporary Art Matters, Columbus, OH. His work was recently included in the group exhibition Belonging: The Long Island City Studio Collective, at Contemporary Art Matters, Columbus, OH (2025). In 2021, Rutkowski exhibited in Contemporary Art Matters: Inaugural Exhibition. His work has been reviewed and featured in The Columbus Dispatch, Dayton Daily News, Columbus Alive, 614 Magazine, The Lantern, Columbus Monthly, and Columbus Underground, as well as in Studio Visit Magazine and on WOSU’s Broad and High. Rutkowski has received several awards, including the Individual Excellence Award from the Ohio Arts Council (2021) and the Support for Professional Artists Grant from the Greater Columbus Arts Council (2022).