Julia de Ruvo: Feral Bonds

Guts Gallery is delighted to welcome back Stockholm-based artist Julia de Ruvo, for her highly anticipated return to London with Feral Bonds. Following solo exhibitions in Stockholm and Los Angeles, this marks de Ruvo’s second show to take place at Guts Gallery.

Within Feral Bonds, de Ruvo explores the boundaries of human relationships, and our domination of the natural world. Here the artist explores the tender, yet feral bonds which tie the dominant human to ‘man’s best friend’, in an alliance of undisputed obedience and loyalty. 

The exhibition is the latest in de Ruvo’s catalogue of work inspired by our inherent connection to domestic animals, and of nature. Often mirroring our behaviours, these animals walk with us side by side, simultaneously reflecting the ferocious, loyal and often unpredictable relationships we experience in the world. Here we find the viewer's perspective is skewed, and foundations of what we know as certain, to now be lost as we are drawn to the gaze of the animal; they confront us, and also turn away.

In a nod to their home country, de Ruvo places these domestic animals and subjects in a suggestive mix of familiar, yet ambiguous, rugged, Swedish terrain. Imbuing these human, and animal encounters in the wild, we find impastoed textures that give ode to the Swedish topography, mimicking the rocks and shrubbery they encounter.

Within Feral Bonds, we see a turn of confidence in their practice as de Ruvo interrupts their more usual subdued tones, with the abruption of striking reds. For the artist, this serves as a visual representation of the delicate balance between ferality and friendship, and the ardent yet voiceless love of owner and dog. This latest showing is a visual departure from the previous blue grey tones favoured by the artist, demonstrating a departure from showcasing detachment, to a more animalistic, consuming attachment.

Julia de Ruvo is a Queer artist living and working in Stockholm. Graduating from the Konstskolan Art School, de Ruvo’s practice has become heavily self-taught. Inspired by the everyday, de Ruvo captures the emotions of people, characters and stories around her with a humorous sophistication and effortless style.