Ed Ruscha
With and Without Words
September 13–October 19, 2002
Munich

Ed Ruscha is one of the first Americans to criticize the mechanisms and means of pop culture in his work by making use of its means and visual language. In this way, he also paid homage to precisely these visual languages, on whose effectiveness and recognition effect he could and can rely. Furthermore, he is one of the protagonists in relation to the examination of language in the visual arts, as is already explicitly stated in the title of this exhibition, because pictures are exhibited "with and without words".

 

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The gallery shows canvases with "Mountains", medium-format mountain landscapes with text, i.e. strictly speaking single letters, e.g. an E and a Z float in front of the landscape, pronounced in English this results in the word EA-SY, i.e. EASY. A similar play on words or picture riddles (which, by the way, is typically American) results from the large Y (Ypsilon) that appears in front of the mountains in another landscape: pronounced WHY. The levels that Ruscha brings together are incommensurable, the mountain landscape that has congealed into a cliché is a foil for abstract signs, but the levels do not sound meaningful together. This play with levels of meaning, language and images (do the letters float in the foreground of the landscape or are they completely separated from it?) Is characteristic of Ruscha's work.

The so-called "Metro plots" show a different type of landscape: they are to a certain extent simplified maps (of the USA, for example LAS VEGAS TO BOSTON) or city maps (for Los Angeles, for example in SUNSET, DeLONGPRE) that show a grid of lines that only goes through the street names written on it can be recognized as a street network. Ruscha also refers to a certain abstract painting tradition (e.g. Mondrian, BROADWAY BOOGIE-WOOGIE). The pictures and works on paper appear almost printed by the grid point-like technique in black on white or black on untreated canvas, but they are realized with purely painterly means.

"Hints of narrow pop culture meanings in conventionally insignificant elements and vice versa are the actual material (...) with which Ruscha deals with what has become classic and casual." (Diederich Diederichsen).

 

Installation Views
Ed Ruscha – With and Without Words – Munich
Ed Ruscha
With and Without Words
Installation view, Sprüth Magers, Munich, September 13–October 19, 2002

Ed Ruscha
With and Without Words
Installation view, Sprüth Magers, Munich, September 13–October 19, 2002

Ed Ruscha – With and Without Words – Munich
Ed Ruscha
With and Without Words
Installation view, Sprüth Magers, Munich, September 13–October 19, 2002

Ed Ruscha
With and Without Words
Installation view, Sprüth Magers, Munich, September 13–October 19, 2002

Ed Ruscha – With and Without Words – Munich
Ed Ruscha
With and Without Words
Installation view, Sprüth Magers, Munich, September 13–October 19, 2002

Ed Ruscha
With and Without Words
Installation view, Sprüth Magers, Munich, September 13–October 19, 2002

Ed Ruscha – With and Without Words – Munich
Ed Ruscha
With and Without Words
Installation view, Sprüth Magers, Munich, September 13–October 19, 2002

Ed Ruscha
With and Without Words
Installation view, Sprüth Magers, Munich, September 13–October 19, 2002

Ed Ruscha – With and Without Words – Munich
Ed Ruscha
With and Without Words
Installation view, Sprüth Magers, Munich, September 13–October 19, 2002

Ed Ruscha
With and Without Words
Installation view, Sprüth Magers, Munich, September 13–October 19, 2002

Ed Ruscha – With and Without Words – Munich
Ed Ruscha
With and Without Words
Installation view, Sprüth Magers, Munich, September 13–October 19, 2002

Ed Ruscha
With and Without Words
Installation view, Sprüth Magers, Munich, September 13–October 19, 2002

Details
Ed Ruscha – With and Without Words – Munich

Ed Ruscha
With and Without Words
Installation view, Sprüth Magers, Munich, September 13–October 19, 2002

Ed Ruscha – With and Without Words – Munich

Ed Ruscha
With and Without Words
Installation view, Sprüth Magers, Munich, September 13–October 19, 2002

Ed Ruscha – With and Without Words – Munich

Ed Ruscha
With and Without Words
Installation view, Sprüth Magers, Munich, September 13–October 19, 2002

Ed Ruscha – With and Without Words – Munich

Ed Ruscha
With and Without Words
Installation view, Sprüth Magers, Munich, September 13–October 19, 2002

Ed Ruscha – With and Without Words – Munich

Ed Ruscha
With and Without Words
Installation view, Sprüth Magers, Munich, September 13–October 19, 2002

Ed Ruscha – With and Without Words – Munich

Ed Ruscha
With and Without Words
Installation view, Sprüth Magers, Munich, September 13–October 19, 2002

Details
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Exhibited Works
Ed Ruscha – With and Without Words – Munich
Ed Ruscha
BEE?, 1997-99

Ed Ruscha
BEE?, 1997-99
Acrylic and oil on shaped canvas
187.6 × 147.3 cm

Ed Ruscha – With and Without Words – Munich
Ed Ruscha
SANTA MONICA, VINE, MELROSE, 2001

Ed Ruscha
SANTA MONICA, VINE, MELROSE, 2001
Acrylic on raw linen
45.7 × 55.9 cm

Ed Ruscha – With and Without Words – Munich
Ed Ruscha
Houston to Miami, 1999
More views

Ed Ruscha
Houston to Miami, 1999
Acrylic on canvas
137.2 × 304.8 cm
54 × 120 inches

More views
Ed Ruscha – With and Without Words – Munich
Ed Ruscha
Portland to Memphis, 2000

Ed Ruscha
Portland to Memphis, 2000
Acrylic on canvas
106.7 × 213.4 cm
42 × 84 inches

Ed Ruscha – With and Without Words – Munich
Ed Ruscha
HOLLYWOOD, VINE, VAN NESS, 2001

Ed Ruscha
HOLLYWOOD, VINE, VAN NESS, 2001
Acrylic on raw linen
45.7 × 61 cm

Ed Ruscha – With and Without Words – Munich
Ed Ruscha
Untitled #8, 2001

Ed Ruscha
Untitled #8, 2001
Dry Pigment and acrylic on paper
24.1 × 58.4 cm
9 1/2 × 23 inches

Ed Ruscha – With and Without Words – Munich
Ed Ruscha
Untitled #1, 2001

Ed Ruscha
Untitled #1, 2001
Dry Pigment and acrylic on paper
24.1 × 58.4 cm
9 1/2 × 23 inches

Ed Ruscha – With and Without Words – Munich
Ed Ruscha
Untitled#6 (S/O Mountain Silhouette), 2001

Ed Ruscha
Untitled#6 (S/O Mountain Silhouette), 2001
Dry Pigment and acrylic on paper
24.1 × 58.4 cm

Ed Ruscha – With and Without Words – Munich
Ed Ruscha
MOUNTAIN AND SAYING, 2002

Ed Ruscha
MOUNTAIN AND SAYING, 2002
Acrylic on canvas
71.1 × 121.9 cm
28 × 48 inches

Ed Ruscha – With and Without Words – Munich
Ed Ruscha
Y MOUNTAIN, 2002

Ed Ruscha
Y MOUNTAIN, 2002
Acrylic on canvas
91.4 × 101.6 cm
36 × 40 inches

Ed Ruscha – With and Without Words – Munich
Ed Ruscha
PICO & SEPULVEDA, 2001

Ed Ruscha
PICO & SEPULVEDA, 2001
Acrylic on raw linen
50.8 × 35.6 cm
14 × 20 inches

Ed Ruscha – With and Without Words – Munich
Ed Ruscha
SUNSET, DeLONGPRE, 2001

Ed Ruscha
SUNSET, DeLONGPRE, 2001
Acrylic on raw linen
40.6 × 61 cm
16 × 24 inches

Ed Ruscha – With and Without Words – Munich
Ed Ruscha
EZ MOUNTAIN, 2002

Ed Ruscha
EZ MOUNTAIN, 2002
Acrylic on canvas
91.4 × 101.6 cm
36 × 40 inches

Ed Ruscha – With and Without Words – Munich
Ed Ruscha
Untitled #5, 2001

Ed Ruscha
Untitled #5, 2001
Dry Pigment and acrylic on paper
24.1 × 58.4 cm
9 1/2 X 23 inches

Ed Ruscha – With and Without Words – Munich
Ed Ruscha
Untitled #3, 2001

Ed Ruscha
Untitled #3, 2001
Dry Pigment and acrylic on paper
24.1 × 58.4 cm
9 1/2 × 23 inches

Ed Ruscha – With and Without Words – Munich
Ed Ruscha
Hope & 1st ST., 2001

Ed Ruscha
Hope & 1st ST., 2001
Acrylic on raw linen

Details
Ed Ruscha – With and Without Words – Munich

Ed Ruscha
BEE?, 1997-99
Acrylic and oil on shaped canvas
187.6 × 147.3 cm

Ed Ruscha
BEE?, 1997-99
Ed Ruscha – With and Without Words – Munich

Ed Ruscha
SANTA MONICA, VINE, MELROSE, 2001
Acrylic on raw linen
45.7 × 55.9 cm

Ed Ruscha
SANTA MONICA, VINE, MELROSE, 2001
Ed Ruscha – With and Without Words – Munich

Ed Ruscha
Houston to Miami, 1999
Acrylic on canvas
137.2 × 304.8 cm
54 × 120 inches

Ed Ruscha
Houston to Miami, 1999
Ed Ruscha – With and Without Words – Munich
Ed Ruscha – With and Without Words – Munich

Ed Ruscha
Houston to Miami, 1999 (detail)

Ed Ruscha
Houston to Miami, 1999
Ed Ruscha – With and Without Words – Munich
Ed Ruscha – With and Without Words – Munich

Ed Ruscha
Houston to Miami, 1999 (detail)

Ed Ruscha
Houston to Miami, 1999
Ed Ruscha – With and Without Words – Munich

Ed Ruscha
Portland to Memphis, 2000
Acrylic on canvas
106.7 × 213.4 cm
42 × 84 inches

Ed Ruscha
Portland to Memphis, 2000
Ed Ruscha – With and Without Words – Munich

Ed Ruscha
HOLLYWOOD, VINE, VAN NESS, 2001
Acrylic on raw linen
45.7 × 61 cm

Ed Ruscha
HOLLYWOOD, VINE, VAN NESS, 2001
Ed Ruscha – With and Without Words – Munich

Ed Ruscha
Untitled #8, 2001
Dry Pigment and acrylic on paper
24.1 × 58.4 cm
9 1/2 × 23 inches

Ed Ruscha
Untitled #8, 2001
Ed Ruscha – With and Without Words – Munich

Ed Ruscha
Untitled #1, 2001
Dry Pigment and acrylic on paper
24.1 × 58.4 cm
9 1/2 × 23 inches

Ed Ruscha
Untitled #1, 2001
Ed Ruscha – With and Without Words – Munich

Ed Ruscha
Untitled#6 (S/O Mountain Silhouette), 2001
Dry Pigment and acrylic on paper
24.1 × 58.4 cm

Ed Ruscha
Untitled#6 (S/O Mountain Silhouette), 2001
Ed Ruscha – With and Without Words – Munich

Ed Ruscha
MOUNTAIN AND SAYING, 2002
Acrylic on canvas
71.1 × 121.9 cm
28 × 48 inches

Ed Ruscha
MOUNTAIN AND SAYING, 2002
Ed Ruscha – With and Without Words – Munich

Ed Ruscha
Y MOUNTAIN, 2002
Acrylic on canvas
91.4 × 101.6 cm
36 × 40 inches

Ed Ruscha
Y MOUNTAIN, 2002
Ed Ruscha – With and Without Words – Munich

Ed Ruscha
PICO & SEPULVEDA, 2001
Acrylic on raw linen
50.8 × 35.6 cm
14 × 20 inches

Ed Ruscha
PICO & SEPULVEDA, 2001
Ed Ruscha – With and Without Words – Munich

Ed Ruscha
SUNSET, DeLONGPRE, 2001
Acrylic on raw linen
40.6 × 61 cm
16 × 24 inches

Ed Ruscha
SUNSET, DeLONGPRE, 2001
Ed Ruscha – With and Without Words – Munich

Ed Ruscha
EZ MOUNTAIN, 2002
Acrylic on canvas
91.4 × 101.6 cm
36 × 40 inches

Ed Ruscha
EZ MOUNTAIN, 2002
Ed Ruscha – With and Without Words – Munich

Ed Ruscha
Untitled #5, 2001
Dry Pigment and acrylic on paper
24.1 × 58.4 cm
9 1/2 X 23 inches

Ed Ruscha
Untitled #5, 2001
Ed Ruscha – With and Without Words – Munich

Ed Ruscha
Untitled #3, 2001
Dry Pigment and acrylic on paper
24.1 × 58.4 cm
9 1/2 × 23 inches

Ed Ruscha
Untitled #3, 2001
Ed Ruscha – With and Without Words – Munich

Ed Ruscha
Hope & 1st ST., 2001
Acrylic on raw linen

Ed Ruscha
Hope & 1st ST., 2001
Details
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