Ed Ruscha Afters

In the decade between 1962 and 1972, Ed Ruscha produced fifteen small artist's books:

Twentysix Gasoline Stations (1962), Various Small Fires (1964) Some Los Angeles Apartments (1965), Every Building on the Sunset Strip (1966), Thirtyfour Parking Lots, Royal Road Test (both 1967), Business Cards, Nine Swimming Pools and a Broken Glass (both 1968), Crackers (1969), Real Estate Opportunities, Babycakes with Weights (both 1970), A Few Palm Trees, Records, Dutch Details, (all 1971) and Colored People (1972).

All are considered classics and are exceedingly difficult to track down at an affordable price (and some difficult to track down at any price). Their influence on artists’ book production is immeasurable. They have spawned countless variations, parodies, tributes and cover versions, a few of which are illustrated below. The portrait of Ruscha with his books is ‘covered’ by Jonathan Monk.









































(see update here)