Ruscha

Whether as an avid reader or self-publisher, Ruscha has always had a special attachment to books. In the 1990s he began using secondhand books as supports for his paintings, rendering the letter o in various typefaces on their covers. By using bleach to create an image through the absence of color, the artist mimicked the effects of extensive light exposure on clothbound volumes. In one example Ruscha drew the letter o in charcoal and colored pencil onto the book's substantial fore edge. His attention to the various surfaces and dimensions of these objects recalls his approach to his own artist's books as "bits of sculpture."