# Robert Gober artist context and auction value notes

Canonical page: https://appraisily.com/artist/robert-gober/
Profile generated: 2026-05-24T02:21:04.944Z
Quality: high confidence, strong sources

## Artist identity

- Birth date: 1954-09-12
- Nationality: American
- Movements: Readymade and installation art traditions
- Common media: sculpture, installation, watercolor, photography, lithography, readymade and found-object sculpture

## About Robert Gober

Robert Gober, born September 12, 1954, in Wallingford, Connecticut, is an American sculptor and installation artist whose work transforms ordinary domestic objects into psychologically charged encounters. He is best known for his handmade replicas of sinks, drains, doors, cribs, and fragmented body parts — especially legs — which blur the boundary between the familiar and the surreal. Gober's practice also encompasses watercolor, photography, lithography, and wallpaper-based installations. Working within readymade and installation art traditions, he has developed a distinctive visual language that draws on personal memory, cultural symbolism, and domestic space. His work is held in the permanent collections of major institutions including the Museum of Modern Art in New York and Tate in London, reflecting his significance in contemporary American art since the 1980s.

## Common works and media

Collectors and appraisers most frequently encounter Gober's sculptures of sinks and drains, which he crafts by hand rather than casting from commercial originals. Other recurring work types include fragmentary body sculptures (particularly legs and torsos), modified doors and cribs, wallpaper installations, watercolors, lithographic prints, and photographs. Many of his sculptures incorporate beeswax, plaster, wood, and human hair to achieve their uncanny realism. Editions of prints and multiples appear more regularly at auction than unique large-scale installations.

## Market and appraisal context

Robert Gober's work appears at auction primarily within Post-War and Contemporary Art sales. His large-scale sculptures and immersive installations tend to achieve the highest results, while editioned prints, photographs, and works on paper provide more accessible entry points for collectors. Key factors affecting appraisal include the specific medium and scale, whether the work is unique or editioned, exhibition and provenance history, and condition — particularly important for his handmade sculptural elements involving beeswax, papier-mâché, and plaster. Institutional provenance from recognized collections or museum exhibitions can materially influence value.

## Appraisily data basis

This Appraisily artist page combines published identity research from authority files (Getty ULAN, VIAF, Library of Congress, RKD Netherlands Institute for Art History) and museum records (MoMA, Tate) with available auction records, sale dates, realized prices, and comparable lots when those records are present in the Appraisily database.

## Sources

- RKD Netherlands Institute for Art History: https://rkd.nl/en/explore/artists/32193
- Wikidata: https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1353414
- VIAF: https://viaf.org/viaf/20397121/
- Getty Vocabulary Program: https://vocab.getty.edu/page/ulan/500118768
- Library of Congress: https://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n91006566
- Tate: https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artists/robert-gober-2309
- The Museum of Modern Art: https://www.moma.org/artists/2199
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Gober