Chocolate Room

1970 · Print

May one see it?

Not receiving at present

National Gallery of Art

Washington, D.C., United States

It belongs to the collection, but is not on display at present.

Checked: 6 hours ago
In this state since: Aug 19, 2026
Source: The museum's own collection data

On the map Museum page

About the work

Chocolate Room is an installation artwork by the American artist Edward Ruscha. It comprises a room lined with chocolate, which has been screen-printed onto sheets of paper.

Chocolate Room was first exhibited at the 35th Venice Biennial in 1970. Over the course of the exhibition the chocolate slowly melted, and visitors carved anti-war slogans and symbols into the sheets. It was closed after it attracted large amounts of ants. Since 1995 it has been exhibited more than eight times, and was purchased in 2003 by the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles for an estimated US$1.5 million. The smell of the chocolate is a key element.

Wikipedia CC BY-SA

Particulars

Accession number: 2015.19.3416

What it shows

Non-representational

In the catalog

American Found object

Sources

National Gallery of Art: the museum's own open data · fetched 6 days ago
Image: National Gallery of Art — © the artist or rights holder

Meanwhile, in the life of Edward Ruscha

The whole life

1967–1970
Self-imposed exile from painting: gunpowder and graphite drawings
During a period of self-imposed exile from painting (1967–1970) he makes gunpowder and graphite drawings: single words in a trompe l'oeil technique, as if formed from ribbons of curling paper.
1968
First solo show in Europe, in Cologne
His first European solo show takes place in Cologne, at Galerie Rudolf Zwirner.
1970
The “Chocolate Room” at the Venice Biennale
Ruscha represents the United States at the Venice Biennale as part of a survey of American printmaking with an on-site workshop, and constructs “Chocolate Room”: 360 sheets of paper permeated with chocolate hang like shingles on the gallery walls, and the pavilion smells like a chocolate factory. In 2003 the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles acquires the installation (then worth about $1.5 million).
1970
Joins the Leo Castelli Gallery
He joins the Leo Castelli Gallery; his first solo exhibition there will come only in 1973.
30 June 1972 – 8 October 1972
Exhibition: Documenta 5
1972–1978
Separation and divorce from Danna
In 1972 Ruscha and Danna separate, in 1976 they file for divorce and in 1978 they divorce; during the time they are apart he dates the actresses Candy Clark, Samantha Eggar, Diane Keaton, Lauren Hutton and Michelle Phillips.