Justin Ruby is a self-taught artist from York, Pennsylvania. Ruby is best known for his portraits composed of deconstructed sneakers, but has used materials from Tootsie Pop wrappers to Louis Vuitton bags. Ruby has shown work in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Virginia, Harrisburg, and York. His work was featured on the walls of The State Museum of Pennsylvania, SAIC Galleries, and The New York Stock Exchange.

“My work is an examination of the role of consumption within the collective conscious, and how this varies between class structures. Most of the pieces are paintings with the focal points collaged out of deconstructed sneakers, or other materials relevant in pop culture. However, it also bleeds out into conceptual sculptures. All of the work is tied together by the formation of identity and how our belongings contribute to our sense of self.”