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Sterling Ruby

German · b. 1972 · Painter, Sculptor

Sterling Ruby is an American artist who works in a large variety of media including ceramics, painting, drawing, collage, sculpture, video, and textiles. Often, his work is… (Wikipedia)

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161auction results2009–2026years recorded86%sold (138)$28.4kSign up free to seemedian price

5 works by Sterling Ruby with an auction history (offered more than once) →

2 works by Sterling Ruby coming up at auction · bid with the house ↓

Record prices

  1. Sterling Ruby, SP83, 2009, acrylic spray paint on canvasSP83Phillips · £602,500≈ $965,868≈ €712,239Sign up to see
  2. Sterling Ruby, SP33, 2008, acrylic and spray paint on canavsSP33Phillips · £542,500≈ $930,930≈ €681,700Sign up to see
  3. Sterling Ruby, SP56, 2008, spray paint on canvasSP56Phillips · £494,500≈ $810,980≈ €594,647Sign up to see

Sterling Ruby’s highest prices recorded at auction, ranked in US dollars at each sale-date exchange rate and shown in the currency of the sale (with the buyer’s premium where the house publishes it).

Coming up at auction

2 in forthcoming sales · bid with the house

Listed from the auction houses’ own websites; estimates are the houses’ own, not results.

ArtSell has recorded 161 auction results for Sterling Ruby between 2009 and 2026, of which 138 sold (86%). Recorded sale prices range from $889Sign up free to see to $966kSign up free to see. The highest price recorded is $966kSign up free to see for SP83 at Phillips in October 2013. The most common medium is sculpture (34 lots). Most results come from Phillips (138), Rago Auctions (10) and Wright (7).

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  1. Sterling Ruby, BC (3627), 2012, collage, paint, bleach, glue and found textiles on wood
    BC (3627), 2012
    Mixed media · Panel
    125 3/4 x 96 in. (319.4 x 243.8 cm)
    Phillips · · Lot 75
    $51,600≈ £38,938≈ €45,251Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. $40,000–60,000View at Phillips ↗
  2. Sterling Ruby, REIF. 7238., 2020, paint on wood
    REIF. 7238., 2020
    paint on wood · Panel
    111.8 x 48 x 21.5 cm (44 x 18 7/8 x 8 1/2 in.)
    Phillips · · Lot 89
    £10,320≈ $13,641≈ €11,965Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. £10,000–15,000View at Phillips ↗
  3. Sterling Ruby, Absolute Contempt for Total Serenity #3, 2004, collage on paper
    Absolute Contempt for Total Serenity #3, 2004
    Mixed media · Board
    28 x 22 in. (71.1 x 55.9 cm)
    Phillips · · Lot 49
    $967≈ £735≈ €853Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. $1,500–2,500View at Phillips ↗
  4. Sterling Ruby, Ashtray, 2009, glazed ceramic
    Ashtray, 2009
    Sculpture
    1 1/4 x 3 1/2 x 3 in (3.2 x 8.9 x 7.6 cm)
    Bonhams · · Lot 97
    $2,048≈ £1,556≈ €1,806Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. $2,000–3,000View at Bonhams ↗
  5. Sterling Ruby, Alabaster SR11-55, 2011, acrylic, in artist's frame
    Alabaster SR11-55, 2011
    Acrylic
    115.6 x 214.9 cm (45 1/2 x 84 5/8 in.)
    Phillips · · Lot 10
    £28,380≈ $37,507≈ €32,924Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. £15,000–20,000View at Phillips ↗
  6. Sterling Ruby, Chinati Flag (DNM), 2015, treated denim
    Chinati Flag (DNM), 2015
    treated denim
    45 h x 70 w in (114 x 178 cm)
    Rago Auctions · · Lot 245
    $1,280≈ £948≈ €1,094Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. $1,500–View at Rago Auctions ↗
  7. Sterling Ruby, EXHM/DS3, 2011, collage and urethane on cardboard, in artist's frame
    EXHM/DS3, 2011
    Mixed media · Board
    266.1 x 144.5 cm (104 3/4 x 56 7/8 in.)
    Phillips · · Lot 17
    £8,385≈ $11,164≈ €9,619Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. £10,000–15,000View at Phillips ↗
  8. Sterling Ruby, Alabaster SR08-3, 2008, cast acrylic
    Alabaster SR08-3, 2008
    Acrylic
    45 5/8 x 93 3/4 in. (115.9 x 238.1 cm)
    Phillips · · Lot 111
    $70,950≈ £52,669≈ €60,102Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. $30,000–40,000View at Phillips ↗
  9. Sterling Ruby, Ashtray 354, 2015, glazed ceramic
    Ashtray 354, 2015
    Sculpture
    3 1/8 x 19 7/8 x 16 in (7.9 x 50.5 x 40.7 cm)
    Bonhams · · Lot 90
    $7,680≈ £5,710≈ €6,535Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. $8,000–10,000View at Bonhams ↗
  10. Sterling Ruby, Parabolic Umbilic, 2007, wood, urethane, spray paint and ceramic, in two parts
    Parabolic Umbilic, 2007
    Sculpture · Panel
    96 1/2 x 49 x 17 3/4 in. (245.1 x 124.5 x 45.1 cm)
    Phillips · · Lot 29
    $28,380≈ £21,493≈ €24,436Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. $30,000–50,000View at Phillips ↗

Sterling Ruby paintings (68)Sterling Ruby acrylic paintings (18)Sterling Ruby mixed media (21)Sterling Ruby works on paper (29)Sterling Ruby prints (17)Sterling Ruby photographs (3)Sterling Ruby sculpture (34)

Sterling Ruby: quick facts

What is the highest price paid for a work by Sterling Ruby at auction?

$965,868Sign up free to see, for SP83 at Phillips (October 2013) — the highest price in ArtSell’s records.

What is a typical auction price for Sterling Ruby?

The median sale price is $28.4kSign up free to see across 138 priced sales. Prices vary by medium, size and date — see the price chart & statistics.

How many works by Sterling Ruby have sold at auction?

138 of 161 recorded lots sold between 2009 and 2026.

Which auction houses sell Sterling Ruby?

Phillips, Rago Auctions and Wright account for the most recorded results. Phillips · Rago Auctions · Wright

Sterling Ruby signature

78 catalogued lots by Sterling Ruby record a signature line. The most common placement is on the reverse (61% of lots that state a placement). Most often: initialled.

Placement

  • on the reverse27
  • lower right15
  • lower centre1
  • lower left1

Form

  • initialled41
  • signed and dated25
  • signed12
  • Signed with the artist's initials, titled and dated "BC (3627) SR 12" on the reverse — BC (3627), Phillips, Sep 26, 2026
  • Signed with the artist's initials and dated 'SR 20' on the reverse — REIF. 7238., Phillips, Jun 26, 2026
  • Signed with the artist's initials and dated 'SR 17' on the reverse — WIDW. LAUNDER., Phillips, Jun 26, 2026

Sterling Ruby signature: all forms and examples →

About Sterling Ruby

Sterling Ruby is an American artist who works in a large variety of media including ceramics, painting, drawing, collage, sculpture, video, and textiles. Often, his work is presented in large and densely packed installations. The artist has cited a diverse range of sources and influences including aberrant psychologies, urban gangs and graffiti, hip-hop culture, craft, punk, masculinity, violence, public art, prisons, globalization, American domination and decline, waste and consumption. In opposition to the minimalist artistic tradition and influenced by the ubiquity of urban graffiti, the artist's works often appear scratched, defaced, camouflaged, dirty, or splattered. Proclaimed as one of the most interesting artists to emerge this century by New York Times art critic Roberta Smith, Ruby's work examines the psychological space where individual expression confronts social constraint. Sterling Ruby currently lives and works in Los Angeles. His studio is located in Vernon, south of downtown Los Angeles.

From Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

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