Great Artists
Ed Ruscha
With a consequential election on the horizon, we focus on a U.S. painter who incorporates the words of our times in his art, words such as "president" and "oof." Ed Ruscha's textual paintings are linked to the Pop Art movement, the beat generation, and surrealism.
[Art credit: Ed Ruscha, President, 1972. Oil on canvas. Omer Tiroche Gallery, London]
Born Edward Joseph Ruscha IV in Omaha, Nebraska in 1937, this innovative artist became known for his use of words as form and symbol in his paintings. Ruscha (pronounced roo-SHAY) moved to California to study art in 1956, and he continues to live in Culver City, CA.
Abstract expressionism was an early influence, but he came into his own when he saw the possibilities – and the humor – in pop culture and advertising slogans. He worked for a time as a layout artist for a Los Angeles advertising agency, but by the early 1960s, he was already being recognized for his experimental paintings, collages, and photographs. Ruscha’s use of the American vernacular and his blurring of styles and methods have had a profound impact on contemporary art. He has received international recognition for his unique weaving together of words and the visual.
Read more about Ed Ruscha in CAI (Contemporary Art Issue)
If you are inspired by this artist, respond to the challenge with your own creations!
