Echoes of the Past Scotty Ramon

Scotty Ramon (b. 1984 in Cleveland, Ohio) presents his first-ever solo exhibition, Echoes of the Past, with Ruttkowski;68 in Paris.

A little over a year ago, Ramon made his first painting. The large canvas is bathed in soothing pink, yet at its center is a small figure whose actions allude to self-sabotage. A stark image reduced to maximum expression. After that, his artistic impulse kicked into high gear, and the ideas poured out of him. A brilliant chromatic spectrum of canvases into which he inserted hyper-conscious manifestations of darkness. Max, his alter-ego dressed in baggy denim, is chased by gleeful demons or finds a red-eyed shadow looming large. Sometimes, Max is just a head; a smooth form rendered in brown as his simplified facial features depict how isolating it can be to confront one’s inner truths. Experimenting with biomorphic shapes or flat geometric configurations, he lays down these compositions with a synesthetic eye for visual vibration. 

In actuality, Ramon has possessed this innate ability all along. As a kid, he dreamed of becoming a cartoonist. Today, he has awakened that childlike creative freedom, only now it coexists with layers of lived experience. In his expanded practice as an artist, he riffs on the same juxtapositions of melancholy and happiness that define his music style. If not self-portraits, his paintings suggest the pursuit of an empowered self.

Amidst the graphic warnings and unsettling words, Ramon nonetheless leaves the ultimate interpretation ambiguous—perhaps not “trapped” or “lost,” but emerging from a nightmare and traveling towards the light. 

Ramon, who is best known as Kid Cudi, also produced an original sound component that will play throughout the gallery. Atmospheric and electric, the score’s propulsive synths and beat enhance the experience and build the vibe. 

– Amy Verner

 

Opening reception      30/01/2026         5 – 8PM

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