Ed Ruscha (artist)

Originally from the midwest, Ed Ruscha creates art inextricably linked to his adopted hometown of Los Angeles, where he has lived since 1956. Though somewhat difficult to categorize, Ruscha’s work remains most closely identified with pop art, and his version of pop is distinctly West Coast–somewhat softer and more relaxed than the output of his New York contemporaries like Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein. Throughout his expansive career, which skyrocketed in the 1960s, Ruscha has remained interested in the usage of words, phrases, or single letters in his paintings, often culled from popular lingo. Presented in a stylized manner and sometimes placed against an amorphouse background, these words or phrases change meanings and often rely on the view to create his or her own connotations and connections. For more information, visit the artist’s website.