CouperRuss presentsJK Russ: In Conversation
April 18 - May 23, 2026
“...Russ proposes a linked simultaneity in which life forms in natural, urban, and fantastical settings coexist and influence each other. This concurrency underlines the hopeful futurity evident in Russ’s work. Peace and protection of the planet might be attained without limiting extravagance. However, Russ also warns that this future hinges on our ability to amplify Indigenous and female leadership...”
- Gina Pugliese, Southwest Contemporary, 2024.
Drawing inspiration through collaborations and selected works from the CouperRuss collection, JK Russ frames her collages within a cultural context of six artists:
Anthony Bondi, originating from Las Vegas, NV, is know for his collage works, photography and interactive installations.
Matthew Couper, is an Aotearoa/New Zealand-born artist, now based in the Mojave Desert. He is known for his paintings and artworks mining art history.
Rosalie Gwilliam, (1938-2014), an award-winning New Zealand photographer and fashion designer, was known for her playful, provocative portraits.
Fiona Pardington, (Kāi Tahu, Kāti Māmoe, Ngāti Kahungunu, Clan Cameron of Erracht), has gained international recognition for her emotionally-charged photographs.
Paul Rayner is an English-New Zealand ceramicist with an ongoing interest in pop culture figures.
Curtis Joe Walker is a self-proclaimed “Las Vegas original”, with a strong following for his seductive, sub-culture photography.
Originally from Aotearoa / New Zealand, JK Russ graduated with a Bachelor of Visual Arts from MIT in Auckland in 2001. Relocating to Las Vegas, NV, in 2010, she has focused on exploring the dramatic rock formations of the surrounding desert, while simultaneously immersing herself in the city’s seductive culture of the exotic and the spectacular.
Her work has been shown at the UNLV Marjorie Barrick Museum of Art, Nevada Museum of Art, Sydney Contemporary Art Fair, and the Dowse Art Museum and Sarjeant Art Gallery in Aotearoa and is held in collections at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, W Las Vegas, Circa Resort & Casino and the John & Geraldine Lilley Museum of Art.
- Gina Pugliese, Southwest Contemporary, 2024.
Drawing inspiration through collaborations and selected works from the CouperRuss collection, JK Russ frames her collages within a cultural context of six artists:
Anthony Bondi, originating from Las Vegas, NV, is know for his collage works, photography and interactive installations.
Matthew Couper, is an Aotearoa/New Zealand-born artist, now based in the Mojave Desert. He is known for his paintings and artworks mining art history.
Rosalie Gwilliam, (1938-2014), an award-winning New Zealand photographer and fashion designer, was known for her playful, provocative portraits.
Fiona Pardington, (Kāi Tahu, Kāti Māmoe, Ngāti Kahungunu, Clan Cameron of Erracht), has gained international recognition for her emotionally-charged photographs.
Paul Rayner is an English-New Zealand ceramicist with an ongoing interest in pop culture figures.
Curtis Joe Walker is a self-proclaimed “Las Vegas original”, with a strong following for his seductive, sub-culture photography.
Originally from Aotearoa / New Zealand, JK Russ graduated with a Bachelor of Visual Arts from MIT in Auckland in 2001. Relocating to Las Vegas, NV, in 2010, she has focused on exploring the dramatic rock formations of the surrounding desert, while simultaneously immersing herself in the city’s seductive culture of the exotic and the spectacular.
Her work has been shown at the UNLV Marjorie Barrick Museum of Art, Nevada Museum of Art, Sydney Contemporary Art Fair, and the Dowse Art Museum and Sarjeant Art Gallery in Aotearoa and is held in collections at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, W Las Vegas, Circa Resort & Casino and the John & Geraldine Lilley Museum of Art.
CouperRuss / Las Vegas, NV / April 18 - May 23, 2026
For appointments to view the exhibition at CouperRuss in Las Vegas, email couperruss@gmail.com
For appointments to view the exhibition at CouperRuss in Las Vegas, email couperruss@gmail.com
