Gagosian Hong Kong is set to showcase new paintings from Sterling Ruby's TURBINE series, marking a significant milestone in the artist's journey. The exhibition, opening on November 14, 2024, celebrates both a decade since Ruby's debut with the gallery and his return to the venue of his first show.
Sterling Ruby, TURBINE. En Saga., 2024, Acrylic, oil, and cardboard on canvas, Framed: 58 7/8 x 45 3/8 x 3, 1/4 inches (149.5 x 115.3 x 8.3 cm) © Sterling Ruby, Photo: Sterling Ruby Studio, Courtesy the artist and Gagosian
Ruby, renowned for his multidisciplinary approach encompassing painting, sculpture, drawing, collage, video, ceramics, and textiles, continues to push artistic boundaries while examining sociopolitical narratives. This latest exhibition presents a striking contrast to his 2014 VIVIDS show, where horizontal spray paintings dominated the space. The new TURBINE paintings feature a dramatic vertical orientation, exploring themes of balance and precarity.
The centerpiece of each work is a distinctive totemic structure crafted from cardboard strips layered with oil paint, rising from richly painted colored canvases. These vertical forms serve as a meditation on integrity, progress, and status, while simultaneously acknowledging the potential for collapse. The artist draws inspiration from his childhood experiences watching his father's work as an explosives technician, where he witnessed the transformation of solid structures into particles, prompting reflections on societal change and decay.
The TURBINE series represents a significant evolution from Ruby's earlier WIDW series (2018-). While previous TURBINE works explored spatial disruption reflecting the turbulent 2020s, these new paintings focus on the delicate balance between stability and chaos. Works such as "Syncope" and "Keel" (2024) examine themes of exhaustion and decline, while "Collective Efficacy" and "The act of disagreeing" engage with the cyclical nature of societal change.
Sterling Ruby, TURBINE. Syncope., 2024, Acrylic, oil, and cardboard on canvas, Framed: 54 1/4 x 31 3/4 x 2, 5/8 inches (137.8 x 80.6 x 6.7 cm), © Sterling Ruby, Photo: Sterling Ruby Studio, Courtesy the artist and Gagosian
Sterling Ruby, TURBINE. KEEL., 2024, Acrylic, oil, and cardboard on canvas, Framed: 43 3/4 x 25 3/4 x 2 5/8 inches (111.1 x 65.4 x 6.7 cm), © Sterling Ruby, Photo: Sterling Ruby Studio, Courtesy the artist and Gagosian
Ruby's approach resonates with modernist and Constructivist traditions, acknowledging artists like Malevich and Brancusi while addressing contemporary concerns. The exhibition demonstrates how formalism remains relevant in times of significant social transformation, serving as a lens through which to examine our collective aspirations and inevitable challenges.
Sterling Ruby, born in 1972, holds both American and Dutch citizenship and maintains his practice in Los Angeles. His work features in prestigious collections worldwide, including the Tate, Centre Pompidou, and the Museum of Modern Art. This exhibition continues his exploration of form, society, and change, inviting viewers to contemplate the precarious balance of our present moment.
TURBINE Series Artist: Sterling Ruby
Duration: November 14, 2024 - March 1, 2025
Opening hours: Tuesday–Saturday 11:00 – 19:00
Venue: Gagosian
(7F Pedder Building, 12 Pedder Street, Central, Hong Kong)
Website: https://gagosian.com/
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