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| RTomens, 2018 |
Watching Sterling Ruby work outside on a massive canvas whilst being interviewed I tried not to be jealous but the tiny Beast of Envy which lurks and occasionally rears it's ugly head did so...for a few seconds. What was I envious of? His success? Or just the space he has to work in - I mean, yes, I could lay a big canvas out in our back yard but even rolled up when finished it would hardly fit in The Cave.
We went to see the Sterling Ruby exhibition at the Gagosian a few days back - just popped in 'cause it's free and we were on our way home - not because we were fans - I'd never heard of him. The pieces were...big...slabs filled with fluid...on plinths (I should post a picture, perhaps...I can't be bothered) - didn't do much for me. In the other room, taking up most of the room, was a 'table' ...this table...
It's HUGE. I reassured the guard that he needn't worry about it being stolen - oh how he...smiled. Surely you need a sense of humour, standing around in a space that's empty most days, for 8 hours! That's some job.
Meanwhile, whilst at my job on Weds I had a sinking feeling as I pushed open the door to the gents - no, not dreading the smell, but thinking "Oh what's the bloody point!" about my art. "It's only a hobby!" That's the trouble with art as a hobby, unlike knitting, trainspotting or stamp collecting it can wriggle under your skin, work it's way up into your brain and infect it with a weird Worry virus - bastard. Specifically, as I stood at the urinal, I contemplated storage, real and virtual. I wondered about art online compared to art in actual space and how mine inhabited both since I usually work with print meaning there are stacks of them as well as folders full. Then there's all the art online.
You know what? By the time I'd zipped up I concluded that it's not a bad hobby to have (keeping it in perspective - it's a hobby, not a shot at 'making it') and my images online can at least be seen by more people than would pass through a gallery should they be hanging in one. They may even discover them months...years after I've launched them into the big spa-a-ace. True, innit?
Returning to my desk to watch the rest of the interview I felt better. I decided I like Sterling Ruby, mainly because he's unpretentious but more because, having looked at a book of his art in the Gagosian which was filled with collages I felt something in common with him - a love of texture, lack of fussiness. And eclecticism. Lack of dominant style. We had common ground in that, at least, if not in available space or, presumably, finances.
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