17.11.09

Ed Ruscha

Ed Ruscha

Now I’m aware it’s only Tuesday, which isn’t even halfway through the week, but I’m planning ahead. This weekend I will be paying a visit to The Hayward, specifically the Ed Ruscha exhibition. Spanning the artists’ entire career, ‘Fifty Years of Painting’ presents some never-seen-before examples of his unique style, which encompasses graphic design, cinema, photography and the American West.

His use of unusual materials (including gunpowder, foodstuffs, and Pepto-Bismol) in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s attracted considerable attention, and his influence on the development f conceptual art (if you want to see more of this I recommend Baldessari at the Tate Modern) marked him out early in his career as one of the most influential American artists of the 21^st century.

Comparisons with Pop Art are almost inevitable- and on the surface his sources(mass media and popular iconography) do little to refute such associations. However his somewhat playful use of irony, paradoxes and surreal juxtapositions ensure his work stands apart.

Download a 2-4-1 voucher here and go, go go.

Posted by Vicki Loomes

Tags: Hayward Gallery exhibition Ed Ruscha