Sterling Ruby's artistic endeavors in the 2000s showcased a dynamic range of mediums and thematic explorations, further establishing his prominence in the contemporary art scene. During this period, Ruby delved into a variety of materials and forms, including ceramics, paintings, urethane sculptures, videos, and textiles, each embodying his critical engagement with societal structures and personal identity. One of Ruby's notable contributions in this era was his ceramics work, which gained prominence for its thick, vivid glazes and charred surfaces. Drawing from the California craft movement, German "hot lava" vessels of the 1970s, and the improvisational nature of art therapy, his ceramics explored rudimentary forms that often resembled baskets, vessels, or body parts, filled with recycled fragments of earlier destroyed or damaged works. This approach not only referenced archaeological excavation sites but also invoked a sense of creation through destruction​ (Wikipedia)​. Ruby's paintings from this period, particularly those titled with the initials SP followed by a number, utilized spray paint to create large, abstract, color-field canvases. These works, with their hallucinogenic and gauzy appearance, reflected on urban demarcation, vandalism, and the sociological implications of gang tagging, suggesting a decay of clear meanings and authority over time​ (Wikipedia)​. His exploration of urethane in sculpture yielded the Monument Stalagmites series, large-scale works that echoed natural formations found in caves. These sculptures, created through the accumulation and pouring of quick-drying polyurethane over an armature, were presented as monumental gestures capturing the moment of transition from malleability to permanence​ (Wikipedia)​. Ruby's engagement with video as a medium was exemplified in the "Transient Trilogy" (2005), a work that approached the semblance of a narrative film, with Ruby himself playing a character navigating a liminal landscape. This piece, along with his later work "STATE" (2019), which examined the architecture of prisons through aerial views, underscored Ruby's ongoing investigation into the intersections of landscape, identity, and confinement​ (Wikipedia)​. The 2000s also saw Ruby's increasing involvement in textiles, with works ranging from large-scale quilts to fabric collages and sculptures. Drawing inspiration from the quilters of Gee's Bend and Boro textiles from Japan, these pieces often incorporated bleached denim and canvas, repurposed from other projects. This textile work, alongside his impactful public sculptures and innovative video pieces, solidified Ruby's reputation as an artist unafraid to traverse and blend the boundaries of art disciplines​ (Wikipedia)​​ (Sprüth Magers)​. Throughout the 2000s, Sterling Ruby's work remained deeply interconnected with broader socio-political and personal narratives, employing a diverse material practice to critique and reflect upon the contemporary condition. His multifaceted approach to artmaking during this period laid the groundwork for his subsequent evolution as a key figure in the art world.