Ed Ruscha (b.1937) initially gained attention in the early 1960s with paintings, drawings, and photographic books that focused on his fascination with the unique culture, vernacular, and sensibility of his adopted home of Los Angeles. Ruscha has been labelled by many a 'West Coast' artist; he is unique in that although Los Angeles is undeniably the source of inspiration for his art, the themes he addresses are far-reaching and universal. A growing interest in Ruscha's work in recent years has led to major exhibitions that toured the United States, and a number of individual shows in Europe, which re-evaluate his art in the broader scope.

This book is the first ever monograph on Ruscha's work. It looks with discernment and insightful detail at the prolific and many-faceted career of an artist whose work has been variously described as pop, conceptual and surrealist: he is a skilful painter as well as a prominent print-maker, book-maker, and film-maker. The thematic and loosely chronological structure of the book brings to light the diversity and depth of Ruscha's art, while at the same time underlining the continuity and recurrence of themes and ideas within his ever surprising and prolific career.