Troy Ruffels

b. 1972, Australia

Ruffels is a graduate of the Tasmanian School of Art, where he was awarded a BFA Honours degree in 1996. In 1997 he was selected for the Museum of Contemporary Art’s annual ‘Primavera’ exhibition for emerging Australian artists, and in 1998 was recognised locally when he was named Young Tasmanian Achiever of the Year (Visual and Performing Arts Category). In the year 2000, after being awarded an Anne and Gordon Samstag International Visual Arts Scholarship Ruffels studied at the Glasgow School of Art. Ruffels returned to Australia, and to the School of Art in Hobart where he completed his PhD at the University of Tasmania in 2003.

He has travelled and exhibited widely, holding solo exhibitions both nationally within Australia, and internationally in Spain, Malaysia, Singapore and the UK. His work has been featured in numerous Australian and internationally curated group survey exhibitions, having work represented at venues in New York, Spain, Portugal, Italy and Germany. Ruffels is the recipient of over a dozen grants and awards including three New Work Grants from the Australia Council. His work is held in numerous public and private collections both in Australia and internationally. Ruffels’ practice crosses over painting, new media and photography.

Ruffels currently lives and works on the North West Coast of Tasmania, and is Head of Photomedia and honours Coordinator at the School of Creative Arts, College of Arts, Law and Education, UTAS, Inveresk Campus, University of Tasmania.