Ed Ruscha’s L.A.
Calvin Tomkins writes about Ed Ruscha, the Los Angeles-based modern artist who made a name for himself, in the nineteen-sixties, with paintings of words.
"They would say, Face the canvas and let it happen, follow your own gestures, let the painting create itself." That didn't pan out for Ruscha. He decided whatever he did would have to be "completely premeditated." Then came Jasper Johns and the painting of words.