Ruhee Maknojia
b. 1993, Houston, Texas, USA
Lives and works in Houston
Education
2024 / Skowhegan School of Painting & Sculpture
2019 / M.F.A. Visual Arts, Columbia University
2016 / B.A. Studio Art, University of Texas at Austin
2016 / B.A. Middle Eastern Studies, University of Texas at Austin
Solo Exhibitions
2024 / Moody Center for the Arts, Rice University, Project Wall, Houston, TX, Curated by Frauke Josenhans
2024 / Circle, Frieson Black Cultural Center, curated by LaKeesha Lee, University of Tennessee Knoxville, TN
2023 / Pattern and Power, Anya Tish Gallery, Houston TX
Selected Group Exhibitions
2024 / Space City:Art in the Age of Artemis, Asia Society TX, Curated by Owen Duffy
2024 / The Resonance of the Lands, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN Curated by Raheleh Filsoofi
2023 / Majority Rule, Sanman Studios, Group exhibition, Houston, TX
2022 / Syncretic: Religion and Ritual in Diaspora, Project Gallery V, Group exhibition, New York City, NY
2022 / One Flower | One Life, Box 13 ArtSpace, Group exhibition, Houston, TX
2021 / Time Won’t Tell, Project Gallery V, Group exhibition, New York City, NY
2021 / The Big Show, Lawndale Art Center, Group exhibition, Houston, TX
2020 / Racism: The Other American Pandemic, Group exhibition, Eastern Connecticut State University, Windham, CT
2019 / The Happiness Curriculum, Group exhibition, Eastern Connecticut State University, Windham, CT
2019 / Aesthetically Functional Only, 1675 Broadway, Group exhibition, New York City, NY
2019 / MFA Thesis Exhibition, Wallach Gallery, Group exhibition, New York City, NY
2019 / Harlem Perspectives II, Faction Art Projects Gallery, Group exhibition, New York City, NY
2018 / 42/18, LeRoy Neiman Gallery, Group exhibition, New York City, NY
2018 / Feel That Other Day Running, Time Square Space, Group exhibition, New York City, NY
2018 / “TEASE”, Performance & Video Night, Prentis Hall, New York City, NY
2018 / First Year MFA Show, Wallach Gallery, Group exhibition, New York City, NY
Fellowship, Grants, and Awards
2023 / Wendy Wagner Foundation Grant (Finalist)
2023 / Idea Fund Grant, funded by The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts
2022 / Artist on Site III, Asia Society Texas Center
2021 / Mulert Award (Nominated for project Conference of Longitudes)
2019 / St. Elmo Lady Bird Johnson Fellowship (Finalist)
2019 / V.C.U. Fountainhead Fellow (Finalist)
2018 / Dedalus Fellowship (Nominated)
2018 / Visual Arts T.A. Fellowship, Columbia University
2016 / Roy Crane Award, University of Texas at Austin
2014 / William Marion Miller Award for Language, IAU College France
2013 / Herbert Maza Academic Year Grant, IAU College France
2013 / The College of Fine Arts Scholarship, University of Texas at Austin
Residencies
2024 / Skowhegan School of Painting & Sculpture, Skowhegan ME
2024 / University of Tennessee, Artist in Residence, Knoxville TN
2022 / Asia Society Texas Center , Artist on Site III, Houston TX
Teaching Experience
2024 / Visiting Faculty, M.F.A. Graduate Seminar, University of Tennessee, Knoxville
2024 / Visiting Faculty, Advance Painting, University of Tennessee, Knoxville
2023 / Art League Houston, Book Binding, Houston, TX
2022 / Adjunct Professor, Art Appreciation, Lone Star College, Houston, TX
2021 / Lecturer, Art of Silhouettes, Manhattan Graphic Center, New York City, NY
2019 / Adjunct Professor, Beginning Painting, Columbia University, New York City, NY
2018 / Teaching Assistant, Tommy White, Advance Painting, Columbia University, New York City, NY
2018 / Teaching Assistant, Diana Cooper, Advance Drawing, Columbia University, New York City, NY
Guest Lectures, Workshops, and Panels
2024 / Guest Lecture, Religious Studies Department, Vanderbilt University
2023 / Ruhee Maknojia and Bridget Bray in Discussion, Artist Talk, Anya Tish Gallery
2022 / Asia Society Texas Center, Ruhee Maknojia and Lanecia Tinsley in Discussion, Artist on Site III, Houston, TX
2021 / Houston Art Alliance, Panelist, Houston, TX
2020 / emPower, Guest Lecturer, Miniature Painting from Mughal and Safavid Royal Courts, Atlanta, GA
2020 / Crit Society, Guest Critic, Houston, TX
2019 / Advance Painting, Guest Critic, Afarin Rahmanifar, Advance Painting, Eastern Connecticut State University, Windham, CT
2019 / Happiness Curriculum: Guest Lecturer, Art from the South Asian Diaspora , Eastern Connecticut State University, Windham, CT
2019 / Museum and Curatorial Studies: Guest Lecturer, Yulia Tikhonova, Eastern Connecticut State University, Windham, CT
2019 / Ruhee Maknojia and Elan Cadiz in Discussion, Faction Arts Project, New York City, NY
2018 / Works in Progress: Radical Book Making, Guest Lecturer, Columbia University, New York City, NY
2023 / Ruhee Maknojia and Bridget Bray in Discussion, Artist Talk, Anya Tish Gallery
2022 / Asia Society Texas Center, Ruhee Maknojia and Lanecia Tinsley in Discussion, Artist on Site III, Houston, TX
2021 / Houston Art Alliance, Panelist, Houston, TX
2020 / emPower, Guest Lecturer, Miniature Painting from Mughal and Safavid Royal Courts, Atlanta, GA
2020 / Crit Society, Guest Critic, Houston, TX
2019 / Advance Painting, Guest Critic, Afarin Rahmanifar, Advance Painting, Eastern Connecticut State University, Windham, CT
2019 / Happiness Curriculum: Guest Lecturer, Art from the South Asian Diaspora , Eastern Connecticut State University, Windham, CT
2019 / Museum and Curatorial Studies: Guest Lecturer, Yulia Tikhonova, Eastern Connecticut State University, Windham, CT
2019 / Ruhee Maknojia and Elan Cadiz in Discussion, Faction Arts Project, New York City, NY
2018 / Works in Progress: Radical Book Making, Guest Lecturer, Columbia University, New York City, NY
Collections
2024 / University of Tennessee School of Art, Knoxville
2023 / Comcast, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
2019 / Eastern Connecticut State University, Windham, CT
2019 / The LeRoy Neiman Center for Print Studies, New York City, NY
Selected Press and Publication
February 2024 / Vanderbilt University, Religious Studies Department, Animals and Humans in Court
January 2024 / University of Tennessee School of the Arts, “Ruhee Maknojia Artist-in-Residence”
October 2023 / New American Paintings Issue 168, curated by Vivian Li
May 2023 / Houston Chronicle, Brittanie Shey, “South Texas Meets South Asia in New Houston Art Exhibit”.
January 2023 / The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, “Idea Fund Grantees”.
June 2022 / Artist on Site Series III, “Asia Society Texas Center, Ruhee Maknojia, Matt Manalo, Luisa Duarte, and Lanecia Rouse Tinsley”.
March 2022 / Glasstire, Box 13 ArtSpace, “One Flower | One Life: Ruhee Maknojia”.
August 2021 / Rice University, Ann Shi, “Houston Asian American Archive Interview with Ruhee Maknojia”.
April 2021 / Columbia University, Brittany Nguyen, “Uncovering the Heritage Silhouette”.
July 2020 / Willimantic Chronicle, Claire Galvin, “Racism: The Other American Pandemic”.
August 2019 / Eastern Connecticut State University, Yulia Tikhonova, “The Happiness Curriculum: Art from the South Asian Disapora”.
May 2019 / Reconstructed Magazine, Center for World Religions Harvard Divinity School and Religious Literacy Project, Abdel-Jelil and Sarah Hakani
May 2019 / Hyperallergic, Zachary Small, “Columbia University MFA Students Gamble on Uncertainty in Thesis Exhibition”.
February 2019 / Faction Art Projects, “Ruhee Maknojia and Elan Cadiz in Discussion at the Faction Art Projects”.
February 2019 / Artnet News, Sarah Cascone, “Editors’ Picks: 11 Things Not to Miss in New York’s Art World This Week”.
January 2018 / Columbia University, Bryan Kelly, “Alt-York”.
October 2017 / Columbia University, Daphne Andreades, “Student Spotlight: Ruhee Mehendi Maknojia ’19”.
May 2016 / University of Texas at Austin, Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost, “The Roy Crane Award”.