What: a look into wonder
Disrupt
Ed Ruscha is an artist. His work varies greatly from piece to piece, but it all shares one common theme: curiosity. Really, it’s kinda mind-boggling how variable his style is, and yet how consistently interesting and thought-provoking Ruscha’s artwork is. The man’s been painting for fifty-odd years, and hasn’t lost the figurative spark that makes his art so intriguing.
In the short documentary “Buildings and Words,” viewers are provided a brief glimpse into Ruscha’s works and how they came about. My favorite part of the whole documentary has to be a quote by Ruscha about two minutes in. He describes why architects enjoy designing buildings, and juxtaposes this with his belief regarding his work. “I’m into it for something else. I’m still trying to understand what that is.” It surprised me how flatly honest this statement was; Ruscha might be a very experienced artist with plenty of prestige, but he still doesn’t understand himself why he enjoys creating art. To me, Ruscha’s modesty here was refreshing, as many other content creators, be they artists, actors, or otherwise engaged, wouldn’t have this sense of almost childlike wonder. But to Ruscha, his work is something he does because he feels he can do it. He doesn’t understand why it’s so appealing, but it is and he continues with it to this day.
Ed Ruscha’s paintings convey a feeling of mysterious wonder, one I’ve not felt from other artists. His compositions don’t have the craziest array of colors and shapes, but despite their simplicity it is evident that Ruscha is a master of his trade. That trade just happens to be one that is strange to even him.
Source: Buildings and Words