- 319
Sterling Ruby
Description
- Sterling Ruby
- BC (3440)
- collage and paint on bleached fabric
- 320cm by 243.8cm; 126 by 96in.
- Executed in 2011.
Provenance
Private Collection
Condition
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."
Catalogue Note
The artist’s attraction to the fabric remnants of works of art from his studio echoes his interest in what are often considered non-artistic mediums. Whilst the initial functions of the fabrics are destroyed through their appropriation, they become a powerful statement in Ruby’s work. Reacting to the austere masculinity and repression of humanism in minimal art, the artist invigorates the formal aspects of his work with a unique physicality and sensitivity. As he explains; “in America, masculinity is generally not associated with the fiber arts, craft or sewing. As a matter of fact the typical portrayal of the male who sews is often that of the outsider or criminal” (the artist quoted in: Mirjam Johansson, ‘Making the Comfortable Uncomfortable’, Bonnierskonsthall, 2012, online resource).
Taking up this outsider position through his characteristic disregard of established hierarchies, BC (4330) is an outstanding example of Ruby’s heterogeneous understanding of aesthetics and artistic production. The tactile quality of the different fabrics applied on top of the denim, fills the Malevich-like composition with a sense of personal narrative, subverting the clean formal language of minimalism through an emphasis on studio processes and found materials. Reborn from discarded pieces of fabric, BC (4330) becomes a compelling statement not only about formal and theoretical positions in contemporary art, but also about the life of the materials that support it.