Ed Ruscha. Standard

Ed Ruscha: Standard is an exhibition featuring work from across the sixty-year career of one of America’s most innovative and influential artists. Originating at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) and drawn largely from its collection, the exhibition will feature more than 70 works of art in a variety of media including painting and film by this iconic Los Angeles-based artist and will be supplemented by selections from the Rose collection.

Ruscha's art depicts everyday objects – gas stations, street signs, billboards, commercial packaging – yet often triggers philosophical reflections about the relationship between words, things, and ideas. The word “standard,” a reoccurring one in the artist’s vast body of work, is a case in point: it can be a banner or rallying point, an established level of quality, or an oil company’s brand name. In his depictions of Standard stations, Ruscha points to each of these definitions and more, making his repeated treatment of this word/image a revealing structure through which to track and analyze the artist’s development over time.

“Remarkably, given the artist’s stature and influence, the Rose’s presentation of Standard will be the first large-scale solo museum exhibition of Ed Ruscha’s work in the Boston area,” states Christopher Bedford, Henry and Lois Foster Director of the Rose. “Consequently, this region will have the rare opportunity to look and think deeply about an artistic trajectory over decades that has left an indelible mark on the history of art.”

Working confidently in many media, including painting, photography, printmaking, drawing, and film, Ruscha is recognized as one of the most important artists of our time. His profound influence can be seen in graphic design, cinema, architectural theory, and urban history.

Ed Ruscha
Standard