One might associate Ed Ruscha with sun-drenched cityscapes of Los Angeles, a filtered California cool rendered in his unmistakable linear pop and instructive, provocative text-based works. But Ed Ruscha is not from Los Angeles, he’s from Oklahoma, a city which, as a new exhibition at Oklahoma Contemporary proves, left a lasting impact on his career.
‘The mythos of Ed Ruscha is tied to Americana and the open road, both of which are rooted in his childhood here,’ says Oklahoma Contemporary artistic director Jeremiah Matthew Davis. It was 1956 when Ruscha took his first road trip, aged 18, from Oklahoma to Los Angeles, to forge a career as an artist.
Four years in the making, ‘Ed Ruscha: OKLA’ marks the artist’s first solo show in his childhood state and looks back on its influence on his 60-year career.
OK (State I), 1990. Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Gift of The Jane & Marc Nathanson Family Foundation © Ed Ruscha
The show is an ode to Oklahoma. It references the city’s geography, vernacular and industry, gazing through the lens of midwestern midcentury American culture through more than 70 works, paintings and a large-scale installation to drawings, prints, books, photos and film. Visitors can expect to encounter iconic pieces such as Twentysix Gasoline Stations and Chocolate Room alongside more recent works such as two Drum Skins paintings.
RELATED STORY
The show is structured around five core themes: Oklahoma OK explores the multitude of references to the city directly in Ruscha’s work. Made in U.S.A. surveys the artist’s perspective as an American and his frequent depictions of the decline of American manufacturing industries, to more potent political statements. 51% Angel, 49% Devil explores the artist’s Catholic upbringing and Pop Origins traces Ruscha’s myriad references to the popular culture motifs of his 1940’s childhood, including movies, comics and advertising. Finally, US 66 delves into the expansive vistas and mythology of the route west, a path well-trodden by the artist as he repeatedly returned to his roots in Oklahoma City.
Big Inventions that Make a Big Difference, 1984.
Twentysix Gasoline Stations from Book Covers, 1970.
Ed Ruscha, Twentysix Gasoline Stations, 1963 (printed 1969). Collection of the artist © Ed Ruscha.
Portrait of Ed Ruscha. Courtesy of Ed Ruscha and Gagosian
Desert Gravure, 2006. Collection of Jordan D. Schnitzer.
Sin, 1970. UBS Art Collection.
Trademark, 1962. UBS Art Collection.
Installation view of 'Ed Ruscha: OKLA'. © Ed Ruscha.
Installation view of 'Ed Ruscha: OKLA'. © Ed Ruscha.
INFORMATION
’Ed Ruscha: OKLA’, until 5 July 2021, Oklahoma Contemporary
oklahomacontemporary.org
edruscha.com
ADDRESS
11 NW 11th St
Oklahoma City, OK 73103
-
Bocci and Anna Carnick join forces on a showcase of evocative design practices in Berlin'Crafting Community' is on view at Berlin's Wilhelm Hallen until 14 September 2025
-
The story behind a one-of-a-kind Dieter Rams handbag, reborn by German leather brand TsatsasA new exhibition at Vitsœ’s London store celebrates the ‘931’ bag, designed by Dieter Rams for his wife Ingeborg in 1963 and reborn over half a century later in a collaboration between Rams and German leather accessories brand Tsatsas
-
A Miami pied-à-terre channels Art Deco glamour and endless summerInterior designer Olga Malyev reimagines a South of Fifth apartment with bold colour, vintage treasures and a sunlit spirit that captures Miami’s timeless allure
-
Stephen Prina borrows from pop, classical and modern music: now MoMA pays tribute to his performance work‘Stephen Prina: A Lick and a Promise’ recalls the artist, musician, and composer’s performances, and is presented throughout MoMA. Prina tells us more
-
What's the story with Henni Alftan’s enigmatic, mysterious paintings? The artist isn’t sayingParis-based artist Henni Alftan's familiar yet uncanny works are gloriously restrained. On the eve of a Sprüth Magers exhibition in Berlin, she tells us why
-
Home again: the artists reframing the domestic worldThe humble home has fascinated artists for hundreds of years. But what, exactly, is the appeal? Artists including Andrew Cranston, Cece Philips and Do Ho Suh on magic in the mundane
-
From art to fashion, and back again: Jonathan Schofield’s figurative work is back in styleAfter graduating from London’s Royal College of Art, Jonathan Schofield began a career as a creative director at Stella McCartney. Now, he has returned to his first love, painting
-
Curtains up, Kid Harpoon rethinks the sound of Broadway production ‘Art’He’s crafted hits with Harry Styles and Miley Cyrus; now songwriter and producer Kid Harpoon (aka Tom Hull) tells us about composing the music for the new, all-star Broadway revival of Yasmina Reza’s play ‘Art’
-
Richard Prince recontextualises archival advertisements in TexasThe artist unites his ‘Posters’ – based on ads for everything from cat pictures to nudes – at Hetzler, Marfa
-
The best Ruth Asawa exhibition is actually on the streets of San FranciscoThe artist, now the subject of a major retrospective at SFMOMA, designed many public sculptures scattered across the Bay Area – you just have to know where to look
-
Orlando Museum of Art wants to showcase more Latin American and Hispanic artists. Do you fit the bill?The Florida gallery calls for for Hispanic and Latin American artists to submit their work for an ongoing exhibition
