He comes from a carpenter family. Both his grandfather and father were trained as carpenters, and as the first ones in Michalovce, they had machines in the workshop. However, the development of the family business after the Second World War was halted by the arrival of new political-economic conditions in the country. Although his father could continue working in the...
He comes from a carpenter family. Both his grandfather and father were trained as carpenters, and as the first ones in Michalovce, they had machines in the workshop. However, the development of the family business after the Second World War was halted by the arrival of new political-economic conditions in the country. Although his father could continue working in the workshop, it was only in the position of a regular employee of the production cooperative installed in the Rutzky workshop. Thus, the tradition of the craft lost its strength in the family, which is why young Štefan decided to study architecture upon reaching adulthood.
Circumstances after 1989 led him back to straw and traditional folk art production after years of architectural practice. His wife lost her job at a discontinued research institute, leading to a personal acquaintance with the artist Janka Menkynová from ÚĽUV (Center for Folk Art Production). Thanks to her, initially Stefan’s wife Agneša found employment at ÚĽUV in making dressed-up dolls, and gradually he himself ventured into making greetings, and eventually images and decorations from ironed straw. With his architectural experience, the artistic aspect of the work was not a problem for him, and over time he tackled increasingly complex and intricate themes, also improving the production techniques. His works are characterized by the use of uncolored straw in yellow-brown tones. Toning is achieved through ironing, depending on the quality of the straw—if it is without defects, it retains its natural yellowish color, but if it has mold, for example, he irons it to a darker shade. To highlight details or create a specific atmosphere, he also uses colored papers or fabrics. A typical example is the yellow paper halo in his Stations of the Cross series or the underlying blue-printed fabric with small white dots, evoking a snowy winter mood.
“At the beginning, there is a grain of rye that needs planting,” he fondly tells every interested person. “Processing the material to a form usable for creation is a lengthy process that deters most people. However, if one endures, the reward of working on an image is magnificent.”
Processing straw is a wet process to prevent this fragile material from burning or breaking. After moistening the straw, Stefan Rutzký glues strips of straw onto A4-sized index cards, which are then placed in a press between boards made of tough polystyrene for several days to even out the straw. After a short drying period outside the press, the pressing process is repeated at the same time intervals. He cuts geometric shapes from the glued straw, which he then assembles into images. He pre-draws the shapes using templates with a mirrored image on the paper side and then cuts them out with a specially modified and sharpened cutting knife. For different stages of work (from small cutouts to long cuts), he uses different knives. The cut must be done with a steady hand, as repeating the stroke twice on the same line is visible on the final shape. To keep the knives sharp, he cuts on polystyrene boards. His wife, who also engages in this type of production, uses scissors in this initial phase, leading to differences in the couple’s work styles. Once the material is processed, Stefan Rutzký moves on to his favorite phase—creating a visual design and simplifying it to the extent that it is feasible and readable. The final expression must align with the possibilities of ironed straw.
Over the years, he found success with architectural themes (Eastern Slovak wooden churches, Bratislava landmarks, folk buildings), as well as genre images from traditional rural settings, and works related to Christmas and Easter themes. In recent years, impressive scenes from the Stations of the Cross series have also been added.
In 2019, he was awarded the title of Master of Folk Art Production for his work.
More about the artist can be found in the article “Straw Fantasies” (RUD 3/2020)