Ed Ruscha, Mary Agnes Richards

“Good art should elicit a response of ‘Huh? Wow!’ as opposed to ‘Wow! Huh?’”—Ed Ruscha American artist Ed Ruscha (b. 1937) is a master of creating art that is at once playful and profound. Ruscha’s inimitable work frequently involves the setting of a single word or phrase against a stained background or monumental landscape.

His paintings, prints, drawings, photographs, books, and films were influential in the development of Pop Art, and his stunning artist’s books continue to inspire up-and-coming artists today. In this definitive overview of Ruscha’s career to date, Mary Richards traces the progression of the artist’s work across five decades. The book also focuses on Ruscha’s techniques, particularly his delicate drawings, prints using organic materials, and process of making art as documented in his notebooks.

With stunning reproductions and new interview material, this thought-provoking book probes the internal logic of Ruscha’s oeuvre for words, images, and phrases that resurface time and again.