Tara Downs

Rute Merk

Biography

Rute Merk (b. 1991, Lithuania) lives and works in Berlin, Germany. She received her BA in Painting from Vilnius Academy of Arts, Lithuania, in 2013, and acquired her painting diploma from Akademie der Bildenden Künste München, Munich, in 2023. Solo exhibitions: “Promises,” National Museum of Lithuania, Vilnius, LT (2024); "XP," Tara Downs, New York, US (2023); Paulina Caspari / beacon, Munich, DE (2023); "f(x)," Gallery Vacancy, Shanghai, CN (2022); "Стрілецька," WT Foundation, Kyiv, UA (2021); "SS20," Tara Downs, New York, US (2020); "Virtualacra," Vent Gallery, Vienna, AU (2018); "Sprites," Editorial, Vilnius, LT (2018). Selected group exhibitions: "The Descendants," K11 MUSEA, Hong Kong (2023); "Hot Little Pool," Lobe Block, Berlin, DE (2022); "Purple - 30 Ans d'Avant Garde," Palais Galliera, Paris, FR (2022); "Women of Now: Dialogures of Memory, Place & Identity," Green Family Art Foundation, Dallas, US (2022); "Growing Out? Growing Up? Contemporary Art Collecting in the Baltics," Zuzeum, Riga, LT (2022); "Strained Intimacies," Hussenot, Paris, FR (2021); "Jahresgaben," Kunstverein Munchen, Munich, DE (2019); "L'artiste decant sa toile," Marburger Kunstverein, Marburg, DE (2019); "Entangled Tales," RUPERT, Vilnius, LT (2018); "ICDecaux Prize," Contemporary Art Center (CAC) Vilnius, LT (2017); "Joy and Mirror," 427 Gallery, Riga, LV (2016) and "Žilvitis (Willow)," Vartai Gallery, Vilnius, LT (2016). Her works are included in institutional collections internationally including M Woods, Beijing, CN; Institute of Contemporary Art, Miami, US; Musée d’art moderne et contemporain, Geneva, CH; CC Foundation, Shanghai, CN; MO Museum, Vilnius, LT; Sifang Art Museum, Nanjing, CN; and X Museum, Beijing, CN.

Rute Merk, *Thalia with Valerian, 2024. Oil on linen, 63 × 37 1/2 in / 160 × 95 cm

Rute Merk, *Thalia with Valerian, 2024 (detail). Oil on linen, 63 × 37 1/2 in / 160 × 95 cm

Rute Merk, Macarons (Chocolate, Matcha, Yuzu, Rose, Lychee), 2024. Oil on linen, 55 × 78 3/4 in / 140 × 200 cm

Rute Merk, Macarons (Chocolate, Matcha, Yuzu, Rose, Lychee), 2024 (detail). Oil on linen, 55 × 78 3/4 in / 140 × 200 cm

Rute Merk, Matcha Latte, 2024. Oil on canvas, 45 1/4 × 78 3/4 in / 115 × 200 cm

Rute Merk, Matcha Latte, 2024 (detail). Oil on canvas, 45 1/4 × 78 3/4 in / 115 × 200 cm

Rute Merk, Lisa, 2024 (detail). Oil on linen, 78 3/4 × 61 in / 200 × 155 cm

Rute Merk, Lisa, 2024. Oil on linen, 78 3/4 × 61 in / 200 × 155 cm

Rute Merk, David, 2023. Oil on Linen, 46 1/2 × 34 1/4 in /118 × 87 cm

Rute Merk, Gemian, 2023. Oil on Linen, 78 3/4 × 55 in / 200 × 140 cm

Rute Merk, Blue Orchid, 2023. Oil on Linen, 80 3/4 × 55 in / 205 × 140 cm

Rute Merk, Matcha Latte (Heart), 2023. Oil on Linen, 22 1/2 × 16 1/4 in / 57 × 41 cm

Rute Merk, Blue Orchid, 2023 (detail). Oil on Linen, 80 3/4 × 55 in / 205 × 140 cm

Exhibition view of Rute Merk: XP. Tara Downs, New York, 2023.

Rute Merk, Wiki, 2023. Oil on linen, 55 × 33 1/2 in / 140 × 85 cm

Rute Merk, Wiki, 2023 (detail). Oil on linen, 55 × 33 1/2 in / 140 × 85 cm

Rute Merk, Tahliah, 2022. Oil on linen, 51 1/4 × 37 1/2 in / 130 × 95 cm

Rute Merk, Steak, 2022. Oil on linen, 41 1/4 × 72 3/4 in / 105 × 185 cm

Rute Merk, Macarons (Grape), 2022. Oil on linen, 21 3/4 x 35 in / 55 x 89 cm

Exhibition view of: f(x). Vacancy, Shanghai, 2022.

Rute Merk, Aechmea II, 2021. Oil on linen, 165 × 195 cm / 65 × 76 3/4 in

Exhibition view of Rute Merk: Independent. Tara Downs, New York, 2021.

Rute Merk, Terica, 2021. Oil on linen, 78 3/4 × 55 1/8 in / 200 × 140 cm

Exhibition view of Стрілецька. WT Foundation, Kyiv, 2021.

Rute Merk, Linet, 2021. Oil on linen, 79 × 71 in / 200 × 180 cm

Rute Merk, Zilvile, 2021. Oil on linen, 79 × 71 in / 200 × 180 cm

Rute Merk, Jada, 2021. Oil on linen, 62 1/4 × 46 1/2 in / 158 × 118 cm

Exhibition view of Solitaire. Gallery Vacancy, Shanghai, 2020.

Rute Merk, Jomante, 2020. Oil on canvas, 46 1/2 × 31 1/4 in / 118 × 87 cm

Rute Merk, Nocturne Rokit II, 2020. Oil on canvas, 66 3/4 × 55 in / 170 × 140 cm

Rute Merk, Study of Blue Mystique I, 2020. Oil on canvas, 33 1/2 × 22 1/8 in / 85 × 58 cm

Rute Merk, Maeve, 2019. Oil on canvas, 50 1/2 × 37 in / 128 × 94 cm

Rute Merk, Medb, 2019. Oil on canvas, 51 × 78 3/4 in / 130 × 200 cm

Exhibition view of Rute Merk: SS20, 2020. Tara Downs, New York.

Rute Merk, BALENCIAGA, SS20, Look 16, 2019. Oil on canvas, 69 1/2 × 59 in / 177 × 150 cm

Rute Merk, BALENCIAGA, SS20, Look 89, 2019. Oil on canvas, 86 1/2 × 86 1/2 in / 220 × 220 cm

Rute Merk, BALENCIAGA, SS20, Look 7, 2019. Oil on canvas, 27 × 32 1/4 in / 69 × 82 cm

Rute Merk, Taihei, 2020. Oil on linen, 52 × 41 in / 132 × 104 cm

Rute Merk, Leeloo, 2019. Oil on linen, 33 1/2 × 40 1/2 in / 85 × 103 cm

Rute Merk, Kamea, 2019. Oil on canvas, 69 × 58,6 in / 157 × 149cm

Exhibition view of Sprites. Tara Downs, New York, 2019.

Rute Merk, Aki, 2019. Oil on canvas, 55 × 63 in / 140 × 161 cm

Rute Merk, Danni, 2019. Oil on canvas, 32 1/2 × 53 in / 83 × 135 cm

Rute Merk, David, 2019. Oil on canvas, 51 × 45 in / 130 × 115 cm

Rute Merk, Audi Leopard, 2018. Oil on canvas, 51 × 71 in / 130 × 180 cm

Rute Merk. Leonda, 2018. Oil on canvas, 35 1/2 × 47 1/4 in / 90 × 120 cm

Exhibition view of Spirits Within. Editorial Project Space, Vilinus, 2018.

Rute Merk, Remember the Time, 2018. Oil on canvas, 51 × 71 in 41 1/3 × 31 1/2 / 105 × 80 cm

Rute Merk, Spirits Within, 2018. Oil on linen, 51 × 71 in 51 × 37 1/2 / 130 × 95 cm

Rute Merk, Aki Ross, 2018. Oil on linen, 39 1/2 × 31 1/2 in / 100 × 80 cm

Biography

Rute Merk (b. 1991, Lithuania) lives and works in Berlin, Germany. She received her BA in Painting from Vilnius Academy of Arts, Lithuania, in 2013, and acquired her painting diploma from Akademie der Bildenden Künste München, Munich, in 2023. Solo exhibitions: “Promises,” National Museum of Lithuania, Vilnius, LT (2024); "XP," Tara Downs, New York, US (2023); Paulina Caspari / beacon, Munich, DE (2023); "f(x)," Gallery Vacancy, Shanghai, CN (2022); "Стрілецька," WT Foundation, Kyiv, UA (2021); "SS20," Tara Downs, New York, US (2020); "Virtualacra," Vent Gallery, Vienna, AU (2018); "Sprites," Editorial, Vilnius, LT (2018). Selected group exhibitions: "The Descendants," K11 MUSEA, Hong Kong (2023); "Hot Little Pool," Lobe Block, Berlin, DE (2022); "Purple - 30 Ans d'Avant Garde," Palais Galliera, Paris, FR (2022); "Women of Now: Dialogures of Memory, Place & Identity," Green Family Art Foundation, Dallas, US (2022); "Growing Out? Growing Up? Contemporary Art Collecting in the Baltics," Zuzeum, Riga, LT (2022); "Strained Intimacies," Hussenot, Paris, FR (2021); "Jahresgaben," Kunstverein Munchen, Munich, DE (2019); "L'artiste decant sa toile," Marburger Kunstverein, Marburg, DE (2019); "Entangled Tales," RUPERT, Vilnius, LT (2018); "ICDecaux Prize," Contemporary Art Center (CAC) Vilnius, LT (2017); "Joy and Mirror," 427 Gallery, Riga, LV (2016) and "Žilvitis (Willow)," Vartai Gallery, Vilnius, LT (2016). Her works are included in institutional collections internationally including M Woods, Beijing, CN; Institute of Contemporary Art, Miami, US; Musée d’art moderne et contemporain, Geneva, CH; CC Foundation, Shanghai, CN; MO Museum, Vilnius, LT; Sifang Art Museum, Nanjing, CN; and X Museum, Beijing, CN.