Ed Ruscha b.1937
Self-published book
180 x 140
1971
Bequeathed by Audrey Melville Barker
£400.00
2013.017
Made in Hollywood under the imprint of 'Heavy Industry Publications', a title chosen no doubt because of its closeness to Ruscha's desire to be 'the Henry Ford of books'... 1971. First Edition. Small octavo. One of 3900 copies. Good condition with plain black wrappers, no cover jacket of 'Glassine' this time.
Each photograph shows only the palm itself with the location erased from the image plate. The text on the left hand page tells the reader the location of the tree in Los Angeles and that each photograph was taken facing west. Each tree illustrated (there are fourteen of them) although conforming to type is very different. After the plates the book consists of blank pages.
That's it then, type, method and context (experienced here in its absence) and formula. The same formula Ruscha uses for the discovery of other typologies of the built and cultural environment in Los Angeles like swimming pools and gasoline stations. From this straightjacket of constraints the little irregularities in the life and form of these trees is immense.
It is not one of Ruscha's more valued books. It is easy to find at specialist book sellers and generally retails for around $500, but it repays the investment of time surprisingly well.
It is not one of Ruscha's more valued books. It is easy to find at specialist book sellers and generally retails for around $500, but it repays the investment of time surprisingly well.
Its provenance is the same as 2013.004.
Ruscha's book making is currently being celebrated with this great boxed collection http://www.gagosian.com/shop/ed-ruscha
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