By Jake Mahr
Arts Editor
The word “standard” has various definitions. It can be a basis on which to compare, it can represent the usual, it can be synonymous with a banner or a support beam, and it is also the name for John D. Rockefeller’s infamous oil company.
Ed Ruscha masterfully blends these definitions, as well as others, into his artwork, allowing him to convey various opinions and messages. He is not only able to portray the literal meaning of a word, but is also able to create a visual representation. His use of color and numerous mediums, accompanied by his choice in words, proves Ruscha to be an artistic genius.
Ed Ruscha is an American artist, often affiliated with the Pop Art movement. Ruscha uses Los Angeles and Southern California as bases for much of his work, and they are often portrayed as themes for his pieces. His first paintings in which he depicts words were created in Paris in 1961, and since then, Ruscha has become known for his satirical allusions to the culture and life of Los Angeles.
“Ed Ruscha: Standard” is a new exhibit put on by the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. The display consists of five rooms and over 300 pieces. The works vary from sketches and photographs to films and paintings, demonstrating Ruscha’s versatility and talent in experimenting with mediums.
The central pieces to the exhibit is Ruscha’s “Standard Station,” which was created in 1966 and recurs five times throughout the display (one in each room). Although the pieces differ in color, each “Standard Station” is graphically the same except for a few discrepancies. Besides the original work, there is “Mocha Standard,” “Ghost Station,” “Cheese Mold Station with Olive,” and “Double Standard.”
All of the variations depict the same gas station from the same view, as seen through a car window. Ruscha is able to transform the building into something more than just a service station.
“Standard Station” is pictured in front of an orange sunset, but in “Mocha Standard,” the bright colors are replaced with tones of brown and the station quickly becomes the victim of toxic, overbearing smog, resembling not only literal pollution but also the “contamination” of monopolies and big business on society.
Another interesting aspect to the exhibit is a selection of five pieces from Ruscha’s “Metro Plots.” Each piece is a simple depiction of streets, such as Melrose, Vine, Pico, and Figueroa, shown as white lines on a gray backdrop with their names in black. These pieces reveal Ruscha’s intriguing ability to take everyday objects and simplify them down to the very basics.
These works are also a premier example of Ruscha’s versatility in various mediums. Each map, while similar, is created with completely different materials. “Street Meets Avenue” was created on a lithograph, “Santa Monica, Melrose, Beverley, La Brea, Fairfax” was created with acrylics on canvas, and “Pico, Flower, Figueroa” is a one-color etching.
Ruscha’s work can be easily seen to focus on words. They are used in the majority of his pieces, from street names in his “Metro Plots” pieces, to places in works such as “L.A.,” and “Hollywood,” to everyday phrases like “The End.” The usage of these words adds an interesting aspect to the art by conveying the definition of a word in a visual sense, something not usually seen in the art industry.
Two stand-out pieces that exhibit this ability are “Sin” and “Sin–Without.” They both feature the word “sin” but portray it in opposite perspectives, once again adding to Ruscha’s abilities.
“Sin” shows the word sitting upon a table, on a gray backdrop with a cocktail olive, suggesting Ruscha’s feelings on the meaning of the word in relation to drinking and alcoholism.
“Sin–Without” places the word in front of a background of clouds, revealing a heavenly atmosphere. This piece is exemplary of Ruscha’s knack toward describing what a word means through a visual sense.
“Ed Ruscha: Standard” encompasses Ruscha’s great versatility as well as his outstanding talent of combining words with art. The exhibit is currently showing at the LACMA until Jan. 21 and admission is free for students age 17 and under.
Leave a Reply