Untitled (Blank Signs) 2004

Curator: This is Edward Ruscha's "Untitled (Blank Signs)." Editor: Stark. I immediately notice the emptiness, the sparseness of the land, and the vacant billboard structure. What is it made of? Curator: It's an etching, a printmaking technique that perfectly captures Ruscha's focus on mundane, mass-produced imagery in American life. The process itself mirrors the industrial landscape. Editor: The etching process really emphasizes the graphic quality, the way the lines define form. And the blank signs…they’re devoid of the usual consumerist messages, almost challenging their purpose. Curator: Precisely. Ruscha frequently plays with the context of signage, questioning their pervasive influence within the visual culture. This absence speaks volumes about the capitalist society that produces them. Editor: Yes, it feels like a commentary on the labor involved in creating these structures, the resources consumed to then display...nothing. Curator: The blankness is quite provocative. Editor: Definitely gives you something to chew on regarding our built environment.