Video

Buildings and Words

Owen Wilson narrates a documentary short about a quintessential American pop artist Ed Ruscha.

For almost 60 years, Los Angeles-based artist Ed Ruscha (roo-SHAY) has been one of America’s more unusual visual diarists. He’s chronicled its gas stations and apartment buildings, captured its language in pop art ‘word paintings,’ and painted its essence in chewing tobacco, jelly, and even blood.

This short film was commissioned by the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles (MOCA) for their for their 2016 gala, which honored Ruscha. It explores the artist’s journey, literally and figuratively, and was written and directed by Felipe Lima, and narrated by actor Owen Wilson. The film includes insight from Ruscha himself, as well as interviews with art and cultural luminaries such as actor Ed Begley, Jr., gallerist Larry Gagosian, and musician Kim Gordon. Lima has also been working on an annotated transcript of the film.

Throughout the work, some Ruscha’s more famous pieces are highlighted and explored. They include his variations on the Standard gas station, and his compelling ‘Picture Without Words,’ which Gagosian calls “godlike.” This film travels the path Ruscha traveled, and provides context not only for his commercial inspirations, but also for his deep and resonating sense of humor, as well as his search for meaning.