Art by Ryan Ratelle
Ryan Ratelle is a New York City-based artist. His current collection, titled "45," is a deeply personal and provocative reflection on identity, resilience, and queer liberation, featuring 45 original works that explore themes of transformation, cultural influence, and lived experience.
The debut solo exhibition of artist Ryan Ratelle, titled "45," is a deeply personal and provocative reflection on identity, resilience, and queer liberation, featuring 45 original works that explore themes of transformation, cultural influence, and lived experience.
The significance of the number 45, representing learning, spiritual growth, and completion, mirrors Ratelle’s journey of self-discovery and acceptance. Raised in a small conservative town in Connecticut where deviation from white, Catholic, and straight norms was discouraged, Ratelle uses bold graphic screen prints and mixed media sculptures to confront and unravel the constraints of his past.
His work is steeped in the spirit of artistic rebellion, channeling the energy of 1980s New York and paying homage to icons like Warhol, Haring, and Mapplethorpe. Each piece serves as an act of reclamation and self-authorship—honoring themes of sex, history, belonging, and the courage to create one’s path. Through 45, Ratelle invites viewers into his world of transformation and truth, marking a new chapter of creative freedom and fearless expression.
The exhibition ran September 17 - 20, 2025, at Agora Gallery (530 W 25th Street, NYC).
SCREENPRINTS
Created from the artist’s own photographs, these hand-painted screenprints fuse intimacy with painterly experimentation. Layered with bold color and inspired by Warhol, Mapplethorpe, and 1980s New York, they channel raw energy to explore desire, shame, and liberation—honoring queer visibility while preserving fleeting moments of lived experience.
PAINTINGS
Rooted in the artist’s New England upbringing, many of these paintings fuse folk aesthetics with the energy of contemporary gay culture. Nostalgic yet subversive, they reimagine portraiture through a queer lens—bold colors celebrating LGBTQ identity, subtle details revealing vulnerability, resilience, and overlooked beauty.
NICO
Original | 20” x 30”
$2,500
LUCIANO
Original | 20” x 30”
$2,500
ADONIS BRENDAN
Original | 20” x 30”
SOLD
RENO
Original | 20” x 30”
$2,500
TOMMY
Original | 20” x 30”
$2,500
ADAM
Original | 20” x 30”
$2,500
ADONIS DEREK
Original | 20” x 30”
$2,500
ELEGANT DISAPPEARANCE
Original | 18” x 28”
$3,000
BRUNO
Original | 20” x 30”
$2,500
JAKE IN FIP
Original | 20” x 30”
$2,500
ADONIS BENJAMIN
Original | 20” x 30”
$2,500
LUCIANO EN VERDE
Original | 14” x 14”
$1,800
(PINK) VELVET RAGE
Original | 30” x 40”
$3,000
DANNY
Original | 20” x 30”
$2,500
RRR
Original | 20” x 30”
$2,500
CABANA BOYS
Original | 20” x 30”
$2,500
SAM
Original | 16” x 16”
SOLD
LIFE CASTS
Life casts in raw plaster, accented with metallics, vintage media, or bold color. Each sculpture freezes its subject—actors, dancers, fellow artists—at the age they were cast, becoming a time capsule of identity. Titled by age, the works honor personal stories while celebrating the resilience and authenticity of LGBTQ lives.
25 ZAK
Original | 30” x 40”
$6,000
35
Original | 3 ft x 4 ft
$7,500
25 MICHAEL
Original | 30” x 40”
$6,000
25
Original | 3 ft x 4 ft
$4,000
26
Original | 30” x 30”
$7,500
21
Original | 30” x 40”
$5,000
26
Original | 30” x 40”
$4,000
ADDITIONAL WORKS
Original
24” x 18” | Hand Painted Screen Print on Canvas