Ed Ruscha and the Great American West

'Energetic, witty, refreshing and engaging, “Ed Ruscha and the Great American West” exemplifies Ruscha’s artistic style, which combines his unique version of Pop and Conceptual Art with commentary on the condition of the American West' - Culture Vulture

A beautiful book exploring Ed Ruscha's lifelong fascination with the romantic concept and modern reality of the evolving American West

This handsome catalogue, which accompanies an exhibition at the de Young and produced in close collaboration with the Ruscha studio, offers the first full exploration of the Ed Ruscha's lifelong fascination with the romantic concept and modern reality of the evolving American West. 

In 1956, at the age of 18, Ed Ruscha left his home in Oklahoma and drove a 1950 Ford sedan to Los Angeles, where he hoped to attend art school. His trip roughly followed the fabled Route 66 through the Southwest, which featured many of the sights—auto repair shops, billboards, and long stretches of roadway punctuated by telephone poles—that would provide him with artistic subjects for decades to come. 

This fascinating book reveals Ruscha’s fascination with the evolving landscape and iconic character of the Great American West in symbolic, evocative, and ironic renditions. These include works that depict gasoline stations, long an important element of Ruscha’s work, as well as others that comment on Los Angeles and the film industry, such as his famous 'Technicolor' images of the Hollywood sign. 

Ed Ruscha and the Great American West features essays by Karin Breuer and D. J. Waldie as well as a fascinating interview with the artist conducted by Kerry Brougher.

Details

• Author: Karin Breuer 
• Hardcover: 244 pages
• Date published: August 2016
• Language: English
• Delivery: Allow 1-2 weeks
• ISBN: 978-0520290693
• Product Dimensions: 24.1 x 30.5 cm