Ruta Butkute is renowned for her sculptural and choreographic research and is currently working on a project where she explores porcelain as a medium for painting. These monumental 'paintings', crafted from porcelain, push the boundaries of artistic expression with their impressive size and dynamic texture. Butkute meticulously experiments with the properties of porcelain to probe its potential for movement, transformation, fracture, melting, shrinkage, expansion, and solidity. In seeking a balance between incidental events and intentional results, Butkute aims to view the emergence of materiality in a new light.
By shaping and manipulating the material, Butkute leaves the body's imprint on the clay, where each action of her hands is directly reflected in the work. She views the creation of sculptures as a process emanating from physical actions within spaces and the architectural relationships that inspire movements and imagery.
Butkute's sculptural and choreographic research underpins and connects her work across various media: sculpture, video, porcelain, and performance. The 'Bound' series is the outcome of her residency at the EKWC (European Ceramic Work Centre) in Oisterwijk in 2023. In the eponymous exhibition, Ruta Butkute presents a range of porcelain paintings, multimedia installations, and performance videos.