This series flourished in the 1980s, introducing our audiences to emerging artists such as Jenny Holzer and Hiroshi Sugimoto, many of whom would go on to great prominence.
Short A serpent-like creature with horns, clawed feet, and a very long tail, bisected at its tip which wraps around the creature itself, stands on a black background.
Short In a complex but quiet scene, a tennis court occupies the foreground. Behind the court are a line of modernist buildings, with the Egyptian pyramids looming in the distance.
Short A photograph of a light-colored rock formation shows a cross-section of sediment lines.
Long A photographic print of a desert scene features a rock formation against a blue sky on a sun-filled day. The formation is made up of layers of sediment colored in a range of cream, sand, tan, and umber. The sun rakes across the surface to reveal the texture of the rock and creates long shadows. The central sediment lines are squiggly, winding horizontally across the surface of the rock. Dark crevices appear at the base of the formation and small, dried-up vegetation grows sporadically across the rocky ground. It appears as though it could dried-up riverbed.
Short Seven black-and-white illustrations hang on a white wall. While some depict what appears to be images of violence, others show mundane objects like a bed, cart, and raft.
Short A pixelated green lattice against a black background creates an effect like a mass of land on a map. A neon green swirl enters the image from the right side.
Short A basketball player leaping toward the hoop as if to dunk looks as if their body is collaged with an image of Jesus Christ wearing a crown of thorns. A large audience looks on.
Short The words "DEATH," "LOVE," "HATE," "PLEASURE," "PAIN," and "LIFE" appear in illuminated neon, organized in a circle against a black background. In order, their colors are orange, purple, pink, green, and blue.
Long Two people perform in an empty outdoor parking lot, one lunging and one leaning back, with their arms extended forward and wrists flexed. They seem to face each other, but the masculine person is closer to you and the feminine person is several paces further back. Their dark skin is highlighted by bright sunlight shining toward you that casts their shadows on the asphalt. The sky is blue and palm trees are in the background.
Short A lopsided man who appears inebriated sits jauntily in a chair. One of his hands holds a smoking cigar while the other rests on the curvaceous butt of a nearby woman who stands, painting on an easel.
Short A yellow-tinged scene features three sculptural busts resting upright on a transparent pedestal. Two smiling McDonald's chicken nugget characters face forward in front of a shimmery backdrop.
Short A nude adult with masculine shoulders wears cowboy boots on their hands and feet. They stand on one of their hands with their feet splayed across the corner of a room lit in red.
Long A person poses dramatically balanced on one arm, limbs spread in various directions–each adorned with a cowboy boot. One booted arm points towards us and both legs splay out to touch the walls of the nearby corner. The person faces away from you, back flexing from the contortion of their pose. The lighting of the photograph is dramatic and dream-like, with one light source casting red shadows and an orange glow, while another light casts green shadows. The figure's shadow spreads across the wall revealing the outline of male genitals.
Short Small white circles connected by thin wire balance opposite a thicker orange wire weighted by an orange rudder-like shape hanging from the edge of a white table.
Short A photo of a picturesque countryside with stone ruins features a dark, human-like form in the dry dirt.
Long In this vertical photograph, the bottom half of the image is taken up by a gray stone maze and, in the foreground, dry gray dirt with extremely sparse grass. On the ground is a vaguely humanoid impression, with a head, two arms, and a torso. It appears to be made with some kind of liquid, creating a deeply saturated brown imprint in the arid soil. In the distance, behind the stone maze, are lush rolling hills and mountains covered in dense foliage including one large tree. The top of the photo is occupied by dense white clouds. The color of the photo is slightly desaturated, giving it an archaic, desolate feeling.
Short A black-and-white photograph of two men shaking hands is mounted to a light-colored piece of wood.
Long A black-and-white photograph with white borders is affixed to a small wood board with photo corners. The photo shows a scene in a supper club or restaurant. It features two fair-skinned, dark-haired men in suits standing, shaking hands. The man on the left holds a small box and the man on the right extends his left hand to receive it. In the foreground, two seated, light-skinned people with long dark glossy hair look up at the men from their table. The two men look directly at us. A date stamp reading "JAN 3 1968" appears in the bottom border of the photo. The ends of two knotted leather cords emerge above and below the photo on the left side of the wooden board, seemingly binding the board like a book cover. A signature reading "Edward Ruscha" appears on the board in blue ink below the image, and the initials "B.A.B." are signed and underlined in black on the wood above the mounted photograph.
Short A black-and-white photo of the Chicago skyline from the north shore of Lake Michigan is overlaid with rectangular color image fragments of the same view. The color images add and subtract people from the lakefront view.
Short A vertical painting portrays a close-up view of a light blue, satiny fabric.
Long This hyperrealistic painting captures the variance in light and dark tones in the reflective fabric, which is folded vertically upon itself like a curtain drawn aside. At the bottom of the painting, the fabric stops, with a slightly different texture on its finished ends.
Short A black tapestry speckled with silver arrowheads depicts two pairs of orange legs, one wearing a skirt, with flat, geometric shapes in place of torsos and heads. The pair is connected at the hip and each stands on a crystalline mound.
Short A glowing white sphere casts shadows on a white wall.
Long A four-pointed, mandala-like set of pale grey shadows surround a glowing slightly warm-hued sphere on a white wall framed at the bottom by a gray floor.
Short White icicle-like formations layered above plumes of blue smoke fill two side-by-side panels.
Long Billowing blue smoke fills the bottom of two side-by-side panels. Layers of white icicle formations obscure black-and-white newspaper clippings in the middle sections of each panel. Behind the forms, a wash of black, grey, and white fills the tops of each panel.
Short Five glowing white orbs seem to float above branches against a deep blue background.
Short Five glowing white orbs are arranged in two columns against a textured blue background with thin branches and colorful leaves.
Short Five glowing white orbs seem to float above branches against a deep blue background.
Short Five glowing white orbs are arranged in two columns against a textured blue background with thin branches and colorful leaves.
Short Five glowing white orbs seem to float above branches against a deep blue background.
Short Five glowing white orbs are arranged in two columns against a textured blue background with thin branches and colorful leaves.
Short Five glowing white orbs seem to float above branches against a deep blue background.
Short Five glowing white orbs are arranged in two columns against a textured blue background with thin branches and colorful leaves.
Short Five glowing white orbs seem to float above branches against a deep blue background.
Short Five glowing white orbs are arranged in two columns against a textured blue background with thin branches and colorful leaves.
Long In this vertical painting, the background consists of a rich, saturated blue mottled with areas of both lighter and darker blue. Extending vertically across the background are three thin, dark brown branches. From these branches sprout small leaves of various reds, blues, pinks, and purples. The branches also bear three ghostly, translucent apples distinguished from the background only by white outlines. The most dominant element of the painting are five large white orbs, each with a faintly translucent white glow. Three of the orbs are aligned vertically on the left half of the painting, while the other two are arranged vertically starting at the upper-right hand corner. This leaves the background of the bottom right corner fully exposed.
Long In this vertical painting, the background consists of a rich, saturated blue mottled with areas of both lighter and darker blue. Extending vertically across the background are three thin, dark brown branches. From these branches sprout small leaves of various reds, blues, pinks, and purples. The branches also bear three ghostly, translucent apples distinguished from the background only by white outlines. The most dominant element of the painting are five large white orbs, each with a faintly translucent white glow. Three of the orbs are aligned vertically on the left half of the painting, while the other two are arranged vertically starting at the upper-right hand corner. This leaves the background of the bottom right corner fully exposed.
Long In this vertical painting, the background consists of a rich, saturated blue mottled with areas of both lighter and darker blue. Extending vertically across the background are three thin, dark brown branches. From these branches sprout small leaves of various reds, blues, pinks, and purples. The branches also bear three ghostly, translucent apples distinguished from the background only by white outlines. The most dominant element of the painting are five large white orbs, each with a faintly translucent white glow. Three of the orbs are aligned vertically on the left half of the painting, while the other two are arranged vertically starting at the upper-right hand corner. This leaves the background of the bottom right corner fully exposed.
Long In this vertical painting, the background consists of a rich, saturated blue mottled with areas of both lighter and darker blue. Extending vertically across the background are three thin, dark brown branches. From these branches sprout small leaves of various reds, blues, pinks, and purples. The branches also bear three ghostly, translucent apples distinguished from the background only by white outlines. The most dominant element of the painting are five large white orbs, each with a faintly translucent white glow. Three of the orbs are aligned vertically on the left half of the painting, while the other two are arranged vertically starting at the upper-right hand corner. This leaves the background of the bottom right corner fully exposed.
Long In this vertical painting, the background consists of a rich, saturated blue mottled with areas of both lighter and darker blue. Extending vertically across the background are three thin, dark brown branches. From these branches sprout small leaves of various reds, blues, pinks, and purples. The branches also bear three ghostly, translucent apples distinguished from the background only by white outlines. The most dominant element of the painting are five large white orbs, each with a faintly translucent white glow. Three of the orbs are aligned vertically on the left half of the painting, while the other two are arranged vertically starting at the upper-right hand corner. This leaves the background of the bottom right corner fully exposed.
Short A gigantic cat skeleton stands in the center of a large atrium with its back arched and its tail pointed straight up in the air.
Long A cat skeleton stands two-stories-tall and ready to pounce, with its spine arched, tailbone on end, and fanged mouth hanging open. It is poised on all fours in the middle of a dimly lit, blue-tinged large gallery space and its white form is dramatically illuminated as if caught in the night.
Short Three pairs of shoes sit below three raised black boxes that support six wooden heads. The closest head is hollowed out, others have light-skinned faces emerging from the wood, but the third has a long pointed beak-like form.
Short An architectural arched gateway is shown, installed within a modern gallery space. The arch is made from bricks in a range of different blues with golden yellow accents and decorated with stylized animals.
Short Thirteen colorless glass bottles and two green bottles, each a different shape and size and without a label, stand in a cluster in front of a white wall.
Short Thirteen colorless glass bottles and two green bottles, each a different shape and size and without a label, stand in a cluster in front of a white wall.
Short A bright red-orange house is boarded up, standing next to an empty urban lot during sunset.
Long A view of a house from the street at early sunset shows green grass, vacant lots, bushes, and tress. The house's windows are boarded up, and the house appears to be vacant. The entire house—except for the soffit, which is black, and parts of the upper facade, which are white—is painted a vibrant shade of red-orange.
Short Dark gray, cloud-like shapes spread diffusely across a field of deep blue. Near the center, a starburst shape of deep red and orange emerges. Tiny white dots cover the entire image, occasionally connected to one another by faint dotted white lines.
Short A red, white, and silver cartoon mouse character is positioned diagonally so that its round head, bulbous ears, smiling grin and large friendly eyes fill the square canvas.
Short A painting of a head of a red and white cartoon mouse with a wide grin and big sparkly eyes.
Short A piece of glass is folded into quarters with green edges facing up, resting on a white surface. A smoking stick is wedged into the top fold. There is a dark, round shadow behind the sculpture on the right.
Short A sheet of hard glass is folded over and bent in two as if it were a plastic bag. A smoking stick rests between the green edges of the glass and a plume of smoke wafts upward.
Long A sheet of hard glass is folded over and bent in two as if it were a plastic bag. A smoking stick rests between the green lips that comprise the edges of the glass. A dark circular shadow dominates the area to the right of the glass, a stark contrast to the white background.
Short A collage on paper featuring two sets of black and white cartoonish eyes and mouths, on top of which are affixed two photographs of a young Abraham Lincoln, the whole composition splattered with drips of black and white paint.
Short Two sets of black-and-white cartoon eyes and mouths are partially covered by two photographs of a young, clean-shaven Abraham Lincoln and splattered with drips and slashes of black and white paint.
Short A yellow banana rests on top of a column made up of three silver paint cans and two bags of ice.
The bags of ice are sandwiched in between the paint cans.
Short Bright yellow organic shapes with black triangles of varying sizes appear in the foreground of this painting, while red streaks and smeared handprints appear in the background.
Short Three dancers in colorful leotards and a triangular structure of colored banners are covered by two dancers’ silhouettes that reveal an orange-red room with three dancers and crowds of people.
Short A black box containing an image of white box is mounted on the side of a thick black frame. The entire piece is intersected by a horizontal blue line, which appears to be painter's tape.
Short A colorful geometric shape against a starry background floats above a figure wearing a bright orange-and-green jumpsuit and a colorful semi-circular headdress.
Short A brightly colored geometric shape floats in a starry sky above a figure wearing an equally colorful head dress and jumpsuit.
Long A three-dimensional geometric shape floats in a starry night sky, taking up most of the upper two-thirds of the painting. The shape is multi-faceted, with 7 faces showing. Each face has has a gradient of vibrant colors ranging from yellow to green, blue to pink, and red to black. The faces are flat and matte, stark against the spray-painted starry night sky. Behind the shape, we see black and grey stripes creating a shadow of the shape. The ground is white, as if it is covered by snow. There are four round-edged rectangles along the ground, in pastel colors. A small lone figure stands in the bottom center of the painting, wearing an orange jumpsuit with green side stripes, red gloves, dark blue boots, and a striped, semi-circular hat. The figure stands directly under the geometric shape, looking at us, and is dwarfed by the size of the geometric shape.
Short A gallery installation featuring three videos of dolphins underwater projected on the walls and floor. The projectors are visibly suspended at varied heights in the magenta-colored room.
Short A gallery installation featuring three videos of dolphins underwater projected on the walls and floor. The projectors are visibly suspended at varied heights in the magenta-colored room.
Long A view of a spacious gallery that is dark magenta and lit by blue video projections. Three videos of dolphins swimming in the water are projected on the walls and floor from suspended projectors, creating the impression that the viewer is swimming below and looking up at the dolphins. A fourth projection on the floor shows the silhouette of an ambiguous person swimming in scuba gear.
Short Just right of center, an organic round shape in a hazy light gray seems to emerge from a jet black background. It hovers around or behind a bright white spot at its center.
Short Twenty six black-and-white photographs of Patricia Hearst in four rows, with a letter of the alphabet—from A to Z—in white superimposed over each one.
Short In this painting, a woman painter holds a paint palette in front of a paint-by-numbers portrait. Her skin is as black as the as the solid black background; she stares confidently into our eyes.
Long This painted portrait depicts a young woman with jet-black skin holding a long, thin paintbrush up to a colorful, messy painter’s palette. She is shown in a three-quarter pose, gazing directly at the viewer. Her face, which is central to the square composition, stands out against a large, white, canvas, almost blending into the pitch-black background to her right. Closer inspection reveals, however, that her skin is subtly rendered, with various shades of contours and highlights. She wears two large hoop earrings, three small hoop earrings, and an oversized, boxy, high-collared jacket made of stiff fabric. Her voluminous hair—black with an ochre sheen—rises in thick coils on top of her head. The canvas to her left shows a partly finished paint-by-number self-portrait; in it, her likeness is broken up into smaller segments with pale-blue outlines and numbers. She has outlined many of the segments and filled them in with colors from her palette: orange, blue, yellow, pink, brown, and a few shades of green. The paint-by-number canvas does not accurately represent the color and pattern of the jacket she wears, which features mustard yellow sleeves and collar and deep blue and maroon and light yellow stripes.
Short A black and white image of a laughing clown appears on a panel of red, white, and blue vertical stripes inside a gray frame. Inside the frame, above the image, a cubbyhole is filled with holiday lights and campaign buttons in red, white, and blue sections that mirror the stripes below.
Short A man in a suit jacket sits at a table with hands folded in front of him and a duck phone to his left. His lips are pursed, as if in mid sentence.
Short A mobile sculpture resembles a cat with a red face.
Long A standing mobile in the shape of a cat has three metal parts held together with wires and chains: a black body with a curly tail and two legs is framed by three flat white trapezoids to the left a red cat face to the right.
Short A white pyramid-shaped ceramic sculpture has a long white handle attached. A white ceramic hand with a visible crack in the pinky finger sits in front of the other sculpture.
Short A black-and-white photo of the Chicago skyline from the north shore of Lake Michigan is overlaid with rectangular color image fragments of the same view. The color images add and subtract people from the lakefront view.
Long A mustard-yellow rectangle rests on a unfinished wooden floor up against a tattered, flower-patterned wall. Within the rectangle is a smaller rectangular photo of a person looking down, cropped from the torso to the top of the head. They are wearing a blue shirt and have black hair and are in front of a white background. The figure holds red circular balls, in movement, attached to wooden sticks. On the left-hand side of the mustard-yellow frame, horizontally the word "BOX" is in stenciled black letters. Below that is a black "W" and below that is a black "WT," all in a stenciled, horizontal font. On the right-hand side of the inner photo are the black letters "E.S." The picture is contained within a window-like picture frame.
Short Two theatrical lights on a lightstand are pointed at a wall to create a projection of two overlapping circles, pink on the left, and teal-green on the right
Short A screen projects an image of an underwater scene with a circular black and yellow object on the sea floor, resembling a vinyl record. The image is mirrored along the vertical plane. The image is mirrored along the vertical plane.
Short A photograph shows a purple ballon with a geometric shape printed in white and white text "OBJECT DESIGN LEAGUE" with a blurry background of several shelves of books.
