Ruttkowski;68 is pleased to present Friends with benefits, a group exhibition bringing together seven artists who—following the invitation of Oskar Rink—allowed their friendships to shape and curate the gallery’s space.

The artists’ diverse practices span generations, disciplines, and perspectives, exploring the subtle and powerful dynamics of artistic friendship. From long-standing bonds to connections with emerging peers, the exhibition reflects on what it means to share the artist’s life—its triumphs, frustrations, and quiet intimacies—with others who understand the same compulsions, obsessions, and struggles.

The works on display reveal relationships built on mutual support, shared motivation, and sometimes tension. They show that friendships in art are not defined by agreement in style or approach, but by the trust, challenge, and care that arise from being part of an artistic entourage. Through intimate studio visits, late-night conversations, and collaborative projects, these connections create fertile grounds where ideas are tested, failures endured, and new visions emerge.

Friendship is not only central to the artists’ practice but also to Ruttkowski;68 itself, where long-term relationships have shaped the gallery’s vision, projects, and ongoing development. Friends with benefits celebrates the unseen structures of artistic life: the networks, dialogues, and shared persistence that make creation possible.