Artwork copyright Jim Rittimann. Photo courtesy of the artist.

Artwork copyright Jim Rittimann. Photo courtesy of the artist.

Untitled (Reconstructions), 1990

Jim Rittimann
(American, born 1951, died 2021)

Location: Washington State Arts Commission, Olympia

ABOUT THE ARTWORK

Artist Jim Rittimann investigates the boundary between the natural world and our creative imagination. This piece is part of artist Jim Rittimann's delicate, complex, and fascinating "Reconstructions" series. To make this creature, the artist first gathers found insect and animal bones and fragments. He cleans these fragments using live beetles (a technique used by natural history museums). He then reimagines and combines the fragments into new, fanciful creatures and figures.

Jim Rittimann created this series for Multiples: The Sciences and Art (1991), an exhibition of ten microcollections commissioned to tour Washington State school districts. The microcollections offer different perspectives of ten artists exploring ideas and issues related to science, and ask students to re-consider assumed and widely accepted aspects of science.

This artwork was acquired for the State Art Collection in partnership with Multiples: The Sciences and Art Collection.

ABOUT THE ARTIST

Northwest artist Jim Rittimann (1951-2021) created intricate mixed media sculptures of imagined creatures, constructed from animal bones, feathers, and insect fragments. He notes, “I always like making artworks that play on both sides of your brain, that play on the rational side of how you look at things, and on the irrational side, not describable with words. It stirs the emotions and the imagination.”

Born and raised in Texas, Rittiman spent his early career working as a professional rodeo bull rider. He earned a Master of Fine Arts degree in sculpture from the University of Washington in Seattle. For over twenty years, he served as the head preparator and exhibition designer for the Henry Art Gallery at the University of Washington in Seattle.