This book was published on the occasion of Sterling Ruby: VIVIDS at Gagosian, Hong Kong, the artist’s first exhibition with the gallery. VIVIDS is a suite of spray paintings in a fluorescent pink palette in which the artist contemplates skies encountered en route to his Los Angeles studio. In these atmospheric works, indeterminate forms merge with ethereal backgrounds, immersively meditating on an ever-shifting horizon. In his practice, Ruby engages with a wide range of strategies and mediums, producing paintings, sculptures, drawings, collages, ceramics, and videos that incorporate elements of autobiography and art historical reference, exploring violence, graffiti, societal pressures, and the urban environment. The catalogue reproduces the ten paintings in the exhibition alongside installation and studio photography. It also includes an in-depth illustrated essay by art historian Eugene Y. Wang that examines Ruby’s creative development and key influences, as well as a list of selected exhibitions and projects.
