Ruth Kazmerzak
oscillating bodies
Through the calculated staging of marine debris, Ruth Kazmerzak provides opportunities for self-reflection.
![](https://www.4culture.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/RKazmerzak_2-1100x785.jpg)
- January 3 - 31, 2019
- Opening: Thursday, January 3
Ruth Kazmerzak’s installation, oscillating bodies, consists of a series of sculptural objects constructed from found marine debris and concrete. The forms explore and question labor, utility, neglect and degradation while the materials, worn and effected by their respective environments and interactions, suggest complex interpersonal relationships. They are meant to serve as a mirror for viewers. Related photographs represent a digital catalogue of the objects and occupy wall space outside the gallery proper.
Kazmerzak hypothesizes, “The structural rethinking of marine debris advances the notion that we can (hopefully) operate with more sympathy in our relationships — with one another and our environment.”
About the Artist
Ruth Kazmerzak was born in Iowa and now lives and works in Seattle, WA. They earned a BFA in Photomedia and a BS in Aquatic and Fishery Sciences from the University of Washington. Kazmerzak’s art practice is informed by their background in marine sciences. The focus of their work revolves around queering science and our personal and ecological relationships by using found or reclaimed materials as medium.