Front Room: Sterling Ruby

The BMA presents an exhibition of provocative soft sculptures by acclaimed artist Sterling Ruby, deemed “one of the most interesting artists to emerge in this century” by The New York Times.

Crafted from red, white, and blue fabric, Ruby’s enormous pillow-like forms resemble the fanged mouths of vampires and create a visual metaphor that suggests a critical outlook on the current state of American culture and politics.

Ruby’s work often employs practices associated with therapy and craft and frequently addresses oppressive political, social, and artistic power structures. The 11 soft sculptures on view combine imagery associated with the United States with fragments of vampires, undead creatures that feed off the living. Though seemingly inviting and celebratory at first glance, upon further inspection, the soft sculptures emerge as symbols of insatiable hunger, overwhelming power, and potential violence.