Maja Ruznic with an early version of Mother (Spider) I (2022).
Photo: BRAD TRONE
Next Big Thing: Maja Ruznic
The talented creative delves into themes of suffering and trauma with dreamlike and mystical work
Born in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Maja Ruznic produces large-scale, vivid paintings of mysterious figures and geometric landscapes that transfixed visitors at the Whitney Biennial in the spring. Dreamlike and mystical, her work delves into themes of suffering and trauma to powerful effect. At nine, Ruznic fled her country’s civil war with her grandparents—later reuniting with her mother and moving to the U.S. with support from the International Rescue Committee. “My work engages with what’s unhealed in myself and other people,” says the New Mexico artist, whose oeuvre evokes Paul Klee and Hilma af Klint.
Maja Ruznic, On the Other Side, (2023). Photo: Courtesy of the artist and Karma
“The first time I saw Maja’s work, I was struck by the combination of colors and shapes. There was also a feeling where dreams, memories, joy, and a veil of melancholy were mixed with great intensity, in an extraordinarily sensitive and precise way”
Fabrice Hergott, director of the Musée d’Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris
Creative process: “My paintings are improvisational,” says Ruznic. “I try to slow myself down and let intuition and play guide the composition. At times, I am surprised by the result, and I hope that translates for the viewer.” She recalls a formative moment when
she stopped “being engaged in a cerebral dialogue” and began listening to her body, taking note of different sensations and what
they mean: “What color is calmness? What shape is anger? My paintings are a formal, visual active imagination.”
Up next: After mounting a buzzworthy solo presentation in New York, she will showcase new work with Karma gallery at Art Basel Miami Beach in December.
Maja Ruznic, Arrival of Wild Gods II, (2023). Photo: Courtesy of the artist and Karma
A version of this article first appeared in print in our 2024 Winter Issue under the headline “Next Big Things.” Subscribe to the magazine.
Cover: Maja Ruznic with an early version of Mother (Spider) I (2022).
Photo: BRAD TRONE
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