Sterling Ruby

Courtesy of the artist and Sprueth Magers

This work is in excellent condition overall. There is stray media along the edges and sides of the work, which is inherent to the artist's method of working. The exposed adhesive throughout the fabric elements as well as the worn nature of the materials used are inherent to the work and the artist's method of working. Unframed.
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.
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Few artists explore the terrain of devalued and disused materials and media as creatively as Sterling Ruby. Evoking the essential influence of his mentor Mike Kelley’s Memory Ware works, Ruby’s BC (bleach collage) series are symptomatic of an artist fully ingrained in the appropriation of everyday materials and traditionally non-artistic mediums such as bleaching. Such techniques and use of materials give Ruby’s work a rawness that shocks and surprises us as the viewer. The use of rags and other discarded fabrics seemingly haphazardly laid onto a beautiful expanse of bleached canvas engages such pieces directly in contradiction with male stereotypes of the male artist. Ruby notes, “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) That this chaotic collage resembles the zips of Barnett Newman’s paintings is further example of Ruby’s emphasis on undermining traditional notions of art and artistry. Ruby in such a piece rebels against the cold repressive nature of minimalist art and positions himself as a prescient outsider. That Ruby is able to revive discarded materials and have them achieve such revelatory impact, is a testament to his skills as a recycler. Out of the destroyed or rejected, Ruby finds endless opportunities to create whilst maintaining a palpable aesthetic quality that is able to engage the viewer visually. Aside from being profoundly interesting conceptually, Ruby’s BC series are magnificent objects in their own right. The play of textures and pattern provide ample moments of delectation for the eye and there is a surprising suggestion of depth in the infinitesimal undulations of the bleached pattern. To create a work that is both rigorous in its aims to transform norms and undeniably beautiful is only possible for an artist of special talent, a special talent that Ruby evidently possesses. BC (5228) inhabits an interstitial space between painting and craft; industry and waste; such qualities are the essentials that lie at the core of everything Ruby touches.

Barnett Newman, Cathedra, 1951
Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam
© 2015 Barnett Newman Foundation / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York