Page 67 - Studio International - June 1970

Supplement June 197o letters, and solid pasta sauce; Pews is a
mixture...60 per cent chocolate syrup and
Lithographs and original prints 40 per cent coffee mixture—the letters are
squid in ink. Stews has no background : the
letters here are of baked beans blended with
daffodils, chutney, tulips—leaves and stalks—
caviar and cherry-pie filling. Dues is combined
Ed Ruscha discusses his I could feel I had organized the elements'. He pickle letters printed over solid pickle back-
listed the disappointments that occurred: ground.'
latest work with `Carnations did not pull. The paste separated Ruscha's wit is essentially affable. He does
Christopher Fox from the liquid—so carnations are out... Let's not use it didactically; it is something which
see what else... Certain brands of mustard is combined with the 'naturalness' of his
Edward Ruscha is an artist from Los Angeles turned to dust, and chicory syrup similarly. A responses to things; it hovers around his con-
of growing interest and reputation. Last year's cream was not very satisfactory because it left cerns like an atmosphere. He does not make a
exhibition of Pop Art—at the Hayward slimy deposit. It's very difficult to look at distinction between 'serious' art and that
Gallery—included a representative selection colours and guess what they will turn out like. which contains wit: 'Oldenburg's best works
of his works. Recently, at Editions Alecto, he Tomato paste, for instance, dries to grey dust. are good as art and also very funny.'
has been working on a project through the For one reason or another I just rejected it Prior to this project at Editions Alecto,
use of the silk-screen process. Or rather, because there were six prints; but I kept it to Ruscha compiled a collection of stains :
through a personal and inventive employment refer to. Also pastels on paper give effects `The book of stains is a kind of documentation,
of that process of printmaking: foodstuffs, which I don't like. A lot of bother went into though my interest in doing it was not biologi-
crushed flowers, syrups, and sauces have been simply finding the results of printing.' cal or scientific. It is a shallow box of black
used in the place of the conventional inks. Yet even in listing these apparent failures he needle-finished leather. It has a Church look
The artist has turned, so to speak, the laws of was intoxicated by the event, by the sense of and quality about it ... a kind of coffin!'
printmaking to the advantage of his explor- discovery. He followed by explaining the full The mock-solemnity of this excites him: `The
ative imagination. Much of his earlier paint- title of the projects: News, Mews, Pews, Brews, minute somebody hangs one of these things
ings were distinctly marked by suggestive Stews and Dues. The fact of being in London on a wall they miss the point entirely. There
allusions or direct reference to food. Indeed, dictated the title: 'England's the only country are seventy-six stains : number sixty is yellow
the paint was often intended to give an image that has Mews; and it also sounds very pepper; forty-five is egg-yolk; twenty-seven is
of sensuousness calligraphically; the most English. It's awful you see just to say it; the sulphuric acid; fourteen is gunpowder. Most
obvious were like icing on a cake. Behind the full six words that is. It has a corny and of them were just applied. Some are invisible.,
lettering would be a colour bearing a con- irritating sound to it. Language gets into my An eye-dropper was used to apply the liquids.
tinuous or complementary tonal relationship work. Country gets into my work. The type I've done ten books altogether. You could say
to it. The degree of synchronization between style relates to England; it's an Old English if you want to categorize me that I'm a
word and meaning, colour and texture, engen- type set.' The most striking thing about Surrealist: but I don't attach myself to a
dered, because of their plastic isolation, further Ruscha was the feverish delight of his response label. New mediums encourage me. I still
connections with the environment from which to London : paint in oil paint. But what I'm interested in
they were drawn. They were humorous. `Greens here are very beautiful. The green of is illustrating ideas. I'm not interested in
We are forced to see the new prints through a Hyde Park I noticed immediately coming colour: if colour suits me I use it intuitively...
reverse channel: the earlier work was read in over on the 'plane. And the greens here either it works or it does not work.'
terms of the degree to which the image around the plates are marvellous. The greens `I'd prefer my painting to come to an end.
assumed an illusionistic sensuousness; in the also on some of the large trucks are beautiful I'd be satisfied to paint myself into a corner,
present work we have to view sensuousness as ... I was very impressed by that.' and then just give it up. It's not a vocation. I
an image. There is a reversal of tendency. In view of his responses, it is not difficult to just use painting. Painting for me is a tool.
CHRISTOPHER FOX understand why he uses a conventional All the things that I achieve through it
medium in an inventive way; it is because he become obsolete. I'm terrified to think I'll be
`Right now, I am out to explore the medium. has a fundamental trust in his own feelings painting at sixty.'
It's a playground or a beach, so I'm going to and allows them to direct his concerns; his Yet Ruscha also clearly feels he learns through
send as much sand up in the air as I can! I judgements are also personal and intuitive: art: 'I don't know ...maybe, there's a great
think the next time I'll print with iodine. I `I don't like... I reject the kind of art which deal of satisfaction through learning. I don't
have to be in control of the medium. The self-consciously attaches itself to history. I'm worry about what I'm about to do. I don't
organic elements have to combine satis- not abstaining... I simply can't relate to it. even make that a question in my life; I may,
factorily. What I'm interested in is the possible Pressures on artists today are extreme. They in time, turn towards science ... art and
range; also in the use of a processed media.' feel obliged to push things as far as they will science are very alike. Many artists work their
Ruscha does not narrowly contrive the go. I find that very unnatural. It's funny that entire lives worrying whether their work is
possible effects of his project: rather, he —people keep pushing and pushing. I feel important. They just get too involved with
wishes to cut to a minimum the number of comfortable; that's the rules. I get satis- what's around them.
possible accidents. It is the control in the un- faction from my work, I really do.' `The important thing is to believe in what you
predictable area which he enjoys. But control The satisfaction for him is in combining in- are doing, even if it's absurd. Most people's
for him does not mean rigidly transposing a congruous elements. One print of which he rational consciousness prevents them from
preconceived image in print; the latitude for was most pleased was Brews: 'The pleasure doing what they should have blind faith about.
chance 'goes hand in hand with it'. Yet of it is both in the wit and the absurdity of the `I want people to be able to look at these
within this latitude he will cast aside effects combination. I mean the idea of combining prints—chocolate and syrup—and see the way
which he finds pleasing if they contain a slight axle-grease and caviar!' He listed the other that they come out as important, and to be
flaw. He views his project modestly: 'It's like five: 'News is blackcurrant preserves blended able to discern that I wanted it to be this.'
a juggling act', he explains,—'we were here with salmon roe and the letters are blank; []
week after week proofing and proofing; then Mews is a combination of egg, which forms [Illustrations page 287]
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