Corn-Popped Ruscha

1961

Seven months in Europe with his mother and brother

He travels through Europe for seven months with his mother and brother, coming upon more works by Johns and Rauschenberg, R. A. Bertelli's “Head of Mussolini” and “Ophelia” by Sir John Everett Millais. The photographs from this trip mark the start of his photography.

1962

“New Painting of Common Objects” in Pasadena

Ruscha takes part, with Roy Lichtenstein, Andy Warhol, Robert Dowd, Phillip Hefferton, Joe Goode, Jim Dine and Wayne Thiebaud, in “New Painting of Common Objects” at the Pasadena Art Museum, curated by Walter Hopps. It is regarded as one of the first Pop Art exhibitions in America.

1963

“Twentysix Gasoline Stations” is published

The first of sixteen small artist's books produced between 1962 and 1978; the photographic books present precisely what their titles describe.

1963

First solo exhibition at Ferus Gallery

His first solo exhibition takes place at the Ferus Gallery in Los Angeles, around which a group of artists has gathered, among them Robert Irwin, John Altoon, John McCracken, Larry Bell, Ken Price and Edward Kienholz.

1965–1969

Layout designer at Artforum as “Eddie Russia”

After college he worked as a layout artist for the Carson-Roberts advertising agency in Los Angeles, and from 1965 to 1969 as layout designer for Artforum magazine under the pseudonym “Eddie Russia”; in 1969 he was a visiting professor of printing and drawing at UCLA.