Born in Lucerne on November 6, 1963. Lives and works in Chur/GR. First contact with the visual arts in 1983. Further education in Los Angeles and Santa Monica, USA, in 1984/1985. Autodidactic engagement in painting and sculpture since 1991. Freelance artist since 2000. Joined visarte.graubünden as an active member in 2001.
The works of Stefan Rüesch can hardly be classified stylistically. Their characteristics are the elementary handling of geometric elements and figures. Components of his paintings are the straight line, the vertical, the horizontal, the square, the rectangle and the right angle. The principles
borrowed from geometry, serve to illustrate certain ideas and to apply them as instruments of personal insight.Rüesch records and visualises aesthetic phenomena of everyday life in his work. The painter starts with a process of abstraction, in order to then implement his ideas with the concrete pictorial means of surface, line, volume, space and colour. He limits himself to the reality he sees, submits to external laws and seeks the path of painterly reduction. The painter abolishes the static-rigid system expected by the strictness of geometry and achieves a pictorial balance composed out of asymmetry. The depiction of a schematized environment seems to stand in a tnese relationship to pop elements oft he advertising world as well as to simulation and computer withdraw from all this again. For in their expressiveness these works convey the clear inner ideas oft he painter. Here, a world supposedly free of objects and places manifests itself ; perspective and proportions have only limited validity. But ultimately, these works are not so far removed from naturalistics landscapes. They simply proclaim the mystery oft he world surrounding us.Proportion , balance and sensitve sobriety characterise the paintings of Stefan Rüesch. Since the beginning of the 1990s, he has been developing them incessantly, driven by ever new thoughts and insights. Despite constant perfection of his working methods, feeling and sensibility are not diminished in his works and repetition does not take place. His works are based in the soul landscape of simplicity and sincerity. The world in Stefan Rüesch`s works seems orderly, calm, friendly, and of childlike problem-free quality. When looking at them, one gets the impression that the hectic everyday life has been stopped and softened for a short time.
2023
Art in architecture project, Hirslanden Klinik St.Anna Luzern
2018
Work contribution Canton Grisons
2015
Art in architecture project, Spital Schiers
2014
Award for competition for professional cultural creation
2012
Art in architecture project, Retirement and nursing home Vell
Work contribution Canton Grisons
2011
Interior design of the meeting room Education, Department of Culture and Environmental Protection of Canton Grisons, Chur
2010
Art in architecture project, Spital Wetzikon
2009
Art in architecture project, Retirement and nursing home Jenaz
2008
Work contribution Canton Grisons
Art in architecture project Ospidal Val Müstair, St. Maria, Illustration part of the care area
Poster design for “Jahresausstellung Bündner KünstlerInnen“, exhibition Grisons Museum of Fine Arts, Chur
2007
Art Award Südostschweiz, Chur
Art in architecture, Office for Culture Grisons, Chur (by invitation, juried and executed)
Prize winner Premi Cultural Ftan
2006
Work contribution Canton Grisons
2005
Studio Scholarship Canton Grisons (Berlin)
Acquisitions of works in the Canton of Graubünden
Purchases of works by city of Chur
Zumtobel art collection
Art collection exhibition Grisons Museum of Fine Arts, Chur
Art collection Kantonalbank Graubünden
Art collection Horst Rahe, Ftan/Hamburg
Art collection Keller Wedekind – Zurich Foundation
Private purchases ( since 2001 )
2024
«Flawless» Gallery 60, Feldkirch
2020
«Silent Shine» Gallery Carzaniga, Basel
«Silenzio» Gallery Kutlesa, Goldau
«Landscapes» Gallery Waldhaus Contemporary, Flims
Ship ahoy Gallery Renata Müller, Lucerne
2018
Gallery von Vertes, Zurich
Gallery Renata Müller, Lucerne
2015
Gallery Vertes Modern, Zurich
2014
Gallery Vertes Modern, Zurich
2013
«Digital Landscapes» Gallery Vertes Modern, Zurich
2011
K12 Gallery, Bregenz (A)
2010
«Sham Worlds» Gallery Renata Müller, Lucerne
2008
K12 Gallery, Bregenz (A)
Gallery Renata Müller, Lucerne
2005
«Day of Berlin» Gallery Columbus, Berlin
2002
«Flowers» Gallery Fravi, Domat/Ems
2000
«Quak» Gallery Fravi, Domat/Ems
1998
«Votive panels » Gallery Fravi, Domat/Ems
2023
«Berge: Three Visions, One Passion», Gallery Palü, Pontresina
Annual Exhibition of the Graubünden Art Museum, Chur (juried)
«After Nature 2» Gallery Luciano Fasciati
2022
Art Basel, Gallery Carzaniga, Basel
Alpensinfonie. “Der Berg in der Kunst, Hans Erni Museum
Stefan Rüesch, Andrea Gabutti, Jürg Kreienbühl, Galerie Carzaniga, Basel
FÜR IMMER WALD, Galerie Luciano Fasciati
2021
Stefan Rüesch & Albert Steiner, Struck BY Light, Galerie Palü, Pontresina
Art Basel, Gallery Carzaniga, Basel
«Beautiful prospects Upgrade» Gallery Luciano Fascati, Chur
«Beautiful prospects» Gallery Luciano Fasciati, Chur
2019
Bodensee Art, Dornbirn K12 Gallery, Bregenz (A)
«The big snow» Gallery Luciano Fasciati, Chur
«Fil Rouge» Gallery Mayhaus, Erlach
2018
«on paper» Gallery Löwen, Chur
2017
Art Fair Cologne Fine Arts, Gallery von Vertes, Zurich
Art Miami, Gallery von Vertes, Zurich
2016
Art Fair Pier 94 New York, Gallery Vertes Modern, Zurich
Art Fair Cologne, Gallery Vertes Modern, Zurich
Art Fair Scope Basel, Gallery Vertes Modern, Zurich
2015
Art Miami, Vertes Modern Gallery, Zurich
Art Fair Cologne Fine Arts, Gallery Vertes Modern, Zurich
Art Fair, Zurich
2014
Art Fair Zurich, Gallery Vertes Modern, Zurich
2013
«Pop Art» Gallery Vertes Modern, Zurich
Art Fair Scope Basel, Gallery Vertes Modern, Zurich
Art Fair Zürich, Gallery Vertes Modern, Zurich
2012
KKZ Littau, Lucerne
2011
«Nature 2» Gallery Luciano Fasciati, Chur
2010
Cultural Summer Mels ( May – October 2010) ( juried)
Art Bodensee Courtesy, K12 Gallery, Bregenz (A)
2008
Annual exhibition Grisons Museum of Fine Arts, Chur (juried)
2007
Gallery Pia – Anna Borner, Lucerne
Annual exhibition Grisons Museum of Fine Arts, Chur (juried)
2006
Annual exhibition Grisons Museum of Fine Arts, Chur (juried)
2005
Annual exhibition Grisons Museum of Fine Arts, Chur (juried)
2004
«Homeland» exhibition project, Visarte Section Graubünden
2003
Art Panorama, Lucerne
Annual exhibition Grisons Museum of Fine Arts, Chur (juried)
2002
Annual exhibition Grisons Museum of Fine Arts, Chur (juried)
2001
Annual exhibition Grisons Museum of Fine Arts, Chur (juried)