Ruthann Godollei

Ruthann Godollei serves as the DeWitt Wallace Professor of Art in the Department of Art & Art History within Macalester College's Fine Arts Division, where she previously held the position of Dean of the Fine Arts Division. An internationally exhibiting artist, she utilizes printmaking and text-based installations to engage with urgent political and social themes, maintaining active creative production through 2025 with multiple upcoming exhibitions.

Her educational foundation includes a BFA from Indiana University and an MFA from the University of Minnesota, providing the technical and conceptual framework for her interdisciplinary practice.

Godollei's research centers on print media as a vehicle for political discourse, specializing in intaglio, relief, lithography, screenprint, and digital techniques. Her work critically examines power structures through projects like the Bunting series addressing voter suppression and immigration policy, and The Wish Machine pandemic-era community installations. She frequently incorporates participatory elements, as seen in News Flash Flash Cards where 64 languages were printed during a single-night event exploring water-related themes. Her practice consistently bridges studio art with activism, tackling issues including climate denial, gender equity, and electoral integrity through visually compelling installations.

Recent work demonstrates an intensifying focus on political urgency, with 2024-2025 projects directly responding to contemporary crises through international collaborations. Her exhibitions increasingly feature multilingual and community-engaged approaches, while maintaining technical mastery across traditional and experimental print media. The recurring use of altered everyday objects—from washing machines to apothecary jars—creates accessible entry points for complex social commentary.

Her distinguished recognition includes:

• McKnight Visual Artist Fellowship (2022-2023)
• Fulbright Canada Research Chair at the University of Alberta (2019)

These fellowships provided critical support for international research and large-scale projects like The Wish Machine installations in Canada and Minnesota. While formal graduate student advising isn't documented in available materials, Godollei mentors undergraduates through courses including Political Art (cross-listed with Political Science) and Senior Studio Art Seminar. Her Printland Press LLC studio functions as both professional workspace and teaching laboratory for student printmakers.

Godollei operates Printland Press LLC as her primary creative studio, while actively collaborating with collectives including Grupo Soap del Corazón. Her work resides in major institutions worldwide—from the Minneapolis Institute of Arts to KUMU National Art Museum in Estonia—and she continues developing new projects addressing 2025 political landscapes through upcoming exhibitions at NE Sculpture Gallery and Friends of the Mississippi River.