Hirshhorn Museum in D.C. acquires sculpture by Sterling Ruby, ’96

Since graduating from PCA&D precursor Pennsylvania School of Art & Design in 1996, artist Sterling Ruby’s multimedia and large-scale works have established him as an international powerhouse in the contemporary art field.

His work already is part of the permanent collections at museums such as the Museum of Modern Art, and the Whitney, Guggenheim, Tate, and Pompidou. Last week, it was announced that one of his sculptures, Double Candle (2018), has been acquired by the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden. The pair of bronze candles, more than 24 feet tall, will be on display at the Hirshhorn along the National Mall in Washington, D.C.

Ruby is known for a wide-ranging use of materials — textiles, video, metals, polyurethane, ceramics, and more — manipulated through drawing, painting, sculpture, collage, and other techniques. Often exhibited as part of large-scale installations, much of his work thematically takes on societal tensions and the American worldview.

Ruby’s name is never far from contemporary art world news. A 2019 New Yorker article featured  his expansion into fashion with S.R. STUDIO. LA. CA. and designer Raf Simons, and his name was dropped in last month’s  Architectural Digest feature on the Los Angeles home and art collection of model and Kardashian family member Kendall Jenner.

(Top image: “Excavator Dig Site,” Sterling Ruby, Bronze, 2010, image by the artist, Creative Commons)