The Dada drawing that was a "light switch" for Ed Ruscha

In art school Ed Ruscha was struck by an unusual drawing by Dada artist Johannes Theodor Baargeld that he developed a "mystical connection" to. He made a cold call to MoMA to see if he could come see it in person and, surprisingly, got through. Hear how the encounter went on to inspire his own work's "controlled disorder."
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Пікірлер: 77

  • @tomtromby4933
    @tomtromby49338 ай бұрын

    It is a bit surprising and oddly comforting that even an artist like Ruscha cannot fully explain why he was interested in a specific so much. Sometimes, things just click.

  • @clanhouseonline

    @clanhouseonline

    8 ай бұрын

    isn’t it not a intriguing repetition with a subtle story, like a cartoon strip?

  • @p6v665

    @p6v665

    8 ай бұрын

    autism 😊

  • @the99thtimelord16

    @the99thtimelord16

    8 ай бұрын

    It's pretty obvious. He's trying to matter and is latching on to anything if it will just give him a direction to go artistically. It's pretty fucking sad but definitely relatable. Also his "inspired" beetle paintings are shit. This whole thing was a bad substitute for putting his own self on canvas.

  • @brockbierly

    @brockbierly

    7 ай бұрын

    ​@@p6v665goated

  • @sooperd00p

    @sooperd00p

    7 ай бұрын

    ​@@p6v665that word has literally lost all meaning.

  • @paza65
    @paza658 ай бұрын

    I am a collage artist and had the honor, literally today, of being approached by a woman who wanted to discus one of my pieces. She didn't ask me what it meant but, wanted to know if I understood why it made her feel a certain way. Too often if feels that people insist you tell them why you did a thing and what it means without actually letting themselves have their own experience. I love hearing other artists talk about why they felt as Ruscha did about someone else's art without judging first.

  • @Kufunninapuh

    @Kufunninapuh

    7 ай бұрын

    That sounds magical. I'm envious.

  • @dadsongs
    @dadsongs8 ай бұрын

    I think the key to this video was how the artist try to understand why he was intrigued with the artwork, and not the initial meaning behind what it "meant". For me, the search for "meaning" is overrated. Thanks for posting this.

  • @OTOss8
    @OTOss87 ай бұрын

    That's really cool that people used to be able to call up the MoMA and get to see certain works.

  • @marksnelgrove
    @marksnelgroveАй бұрын

    I attended the retrospective opening at LACMA this week. So much of his work from the 60s and 70s looks like it was made yesterday. His diverse portfolio should be an inspiration to all to make art.

  • @MatterMeetsAntimatter
    @MatterMeetsAntimatter8 ай бұрын

    Intriguing! Thank you for introducing me to two artists and expanding my horizons!! 💛💛

  • @VetsrisAuguste
    @VetsrisAuguste8 ай бұрын

    “Controlled disorder” I absolutely get it. I can see in the structure of the work a very apt depiction of a familiar process for creating new dance vocabulary. The work’s resemblance to a musical staff only underscores the procedural nature of this approach. I believe it could literally be read like a form of dance notation and turned into choreographed movement for the human body.

  • @bodawei425

    @bodawei425

    8 ай бұрын

    Your analysis is very interesting. Indeed, it seems this work is multidimensional, space-wise, time-wise, and purpose-wise. Something like a new language that seems to make sense but that we cannot comprehend.

  • @KpxUrz5745
    @KpxUrz57453 ай бұрын

    I did not get much out of this video, nor do I get anything from the art of Ruscha. But I do appreciate one thing: the fact that some museums may be receptive to private displays of specific works of art in their collection to interested parties. I will do this if I get the chance.

  • @stiffiron
    @stiffiron8 ай бұрын

    That was interesting! I think nearly every artist has had moments like this, and it's one of the beautiful things about being an artist! :-)

  • @huntingvega3876

    @huntingvega3876

    8 ай бұрын

    Amen

  • @rrosaseconda
    @rrosaseconda8 ай бұрын

    I have had the privilege of going to NYMoMA and looking at print works intimately and the experience is always inspiring!

  • @jackielorenz4109
    @jackielorenz41097 ай бұрын

    I ❤these snippets that take us through the many stories in MoMA. Good for the soul

  • @robertdufour2456
    @robertdufour24568 ай бұрын

    Thank you so much for this wonderful presentation!

  • @jamesg2382
    @jamesg23828 ай бұрын

    Thank you from Australia. Love these videos. Much appreciated

  • @scottpitner4298
    @scottpitner42988 ай бұрын

    I can see why that piece grabbed him. It’s fascinating. It makes you do a double take and more because there’s something familiar at first about it. Then you feel something’s wrong like a mistake in it but after some close inspection, it’s all purposeful and intriguing

  • @Sara-ti7he
    @Sara-ti7he8 ай бұрын

    Love these videos so much.

  • @ChefJuice
    @ChefJuice6 ай бұрын

    Absolutely beautiful collection and we love paris. Music is so good too. What a good show.

  • @brian_medlock_collage
    @brian_medlock_collage8 ай бұрын

    I LOVE this little video. LOVE ED!...❤B

  • @mazzreadstarot
    @mazzreadstarot7 ай бұрын

    Thank you so much!

  • @robertpepper5256
    @robertpepper52568 ай бұрын

    Love this story. Love Ed Ruscha. My mystical art influence was Peter Blake’s “Got a Girl” 1961, at the Whitworth Gallery Manchester UK. I saw it in 1980 and it still informs my design process, heavily. I’m wondering what works other people have been inspired by?

  • @DippedInInk
    @DippedInInk8 ай бұрын

    Art is a portal to another world. Would love to hear how the creator thought of this piece.

  • @P1Brand
    @P1Brand8 ай бұрын

    Love this...thank you MoMA. Thank you Ed for sharing your story. It's fascinating.

  • @rememberthefuture944
    @rememberthefuture9448 ай бұрын

    Wonderful.

  • @rainybear925
    @rainybear9257 ай бұрын

    love!

  • @margolyn8291
    @margolyn82918 ай бұрын

    Scarab beetles..Egypt. .I'm intrigued too

  • @Enr227
    @Enr2278 ай бұрын

    It recapitulates diagrams of gaba receptors. It is mystical.

  • @nelsonx5326
    @nelsonx53267 ай бұрын

    That is a very interesting drawing. I once had my foundation destroyed while looking at an etching. I had some kind of mental breakdown that lasted 2 weeks. It was agonizing.

  • @145inA
    @145inA8 ай бұрын

    Nice watch.

  • @goody71
    @goody716 ай бұрын

    Speaking of art; can anyone identify the ice on his wrist? I love that watch.

  • @zambot3325
    @zambot33258 ай бұрын

    Wait till he sees what MAD Magazine did in the 1950s.

  • @romikim4548
    @romikim45488 ай бұрын

    Interesting!

  • @motionsuggests
    @motionsuggests7 ай бұрын

    I feel the same thing with Francis Picabia's art! Haven't delved much into Dada beyond a few manifestos but the inexplicable order - some sort of theory underlying chaos, demented typography/graphic design, is fascinating. It seems my profile picture here is still one of Picabia's work, haha

  • @yakauleu
    @yakauleu8 ай бұрын

    Can't explain it, but it's a BEAUTY

  • @huskytail
    @huskytail8 ай бұрын

    It would have been so amazing if there was a link to the work in good resolution so we can ask just look at it and find our own in it. I don't want to sound ungrateful though. That was an amazing video.

  • @themuseumofmodernart

    @themuseumofmodernart

    8 ай бұрын

    Great suggestion! We just added the link to the collection page in the description, and here it is for easy access: www.moma.org/collection/works/35886

  • @JoanKentBible
    @JoanKentBible8 ай бұрын

    Interesting drawing! I can see how it might be one that you would not forget. I was wondering what was the insightful "click" revelation?

  • @mikekazz5353
    @mikekazz53537 ай бұрын

    by the name of the title I thought it was a diagram of an electrical current for a light switch just in a fun way.

  • @Epoch11
    @Epoch118 ай бұрын

    It looks like a technical drawing for making a light switch out of insects

  • @DQ2121
    @DQ21217 ай бұрын

    It is a cool drawing

  • @joannaberry2967
    @joannaberry29678 ай бұрын

    What book is he looking at? I looked for a citation and couldn't find one.

  • @jbltube2881
    @jbltube28814 ай бұрын

    Anyone know what watch mr Ruscha is wearing? Thanks!

  • @JJONNYREPP
    @JJONNYREPP8 ай бұрын

    The Dada drawing that was a "light switch" for Ed Ruscha 1659PM 6.9.23 it was xmas tide and the light switch struck out the room light... and lo!!! gold Frankenstein and grrr was proffered... an audience with the pope was attempted, no doubt. seems he lies in Twickenham, though.

  • @avidadolares

    @avidadolares

    8 ай бұрын

    Contrived Rick Mayall references. Dont try so hard.

  • @coryecker2170
    @coryecker21708 ай бұрын

    "I think about it a lot"

  • @almost_asterisk
    @almost_asterisk7 ай бұрын

    love this 🩷 i think of this kind of stuff as art for artists--weird pieces and passages that make you think, WHY would they do that, WHAT were they thinking?! It's fascinating, mysterious and maze-like and it gives other artists the opportunity to ponder someone else's creative choices 🌞👍

  • @dialandkbsecobeautyart
    @dialandkbsecobeautyart8 ай бұрын

    Good job god jobs

  • @joeswampdawghenry
    @joeswampdawghenry8 ай бұрын

    I will be in the Guggenheim next year

  • @kristine8338
    @kristine83388 ай бұрын

    Paul Van Ostayen.

  • @tomyocom5886
    @tomyocom58868 ай бұрын

    It is a self portrait

  • @express375
    @express3758 ай бұрын

    elderly gentleman discribes what he like about a picture of beetles, it don't get better than that

  • @erikmaldre
    @erikmaldre8 ай бұрын

    Oh Ed, you crazy cuckoo. Keep on keeping on.

  • @iCE2sKY
    @iCE2sKY8 ай бұрын

    He looks like Thor Heyerdahl, ha ha

  • @plumeretbonnet
    @plumeretbonnet4 ай бұрын

  • @readthetype
    @readthetype8 ай бұрын

    Is this a bizarre Matrix experiment? What’s going on with this guy’s eyes and face? Are we _supposed_ to be able to tell it’s not real? I’m starting to get scared.

  • @angelstrawn5493
    @angelstrawn54937 ай бұрын

    What passes for art is astounding to me. It appears that the less effort is expended makes for better art. I remember the 60 Minutes piece on a collector who had a short length of rope tacked to his wall. That was an art installation.

  • @timwatley4793

    @timwatley4793

    7 ай бұрын

    Why are you here then? It doesn't sound like you're interested in this kinda stuff

  • @m-tetsuo
    @m-tetsuo6 ай бұрын

    No way I've been pronouncing his name wrong all my life...

  • @christopherj3121
    @christopherj31218 ай бұрын

    Pretension writ large.

  • @williamwoody7607
    @williamwoody76077 ай бұрын

    Ugh when I was stationed in Philadelphia in the late 70’s the AAA gallery had a Ruscha print of ants printed in maple syrup on birch veneer for $200 and I just couldn’t afford it. I really hate being reminded of it.

  • @unkleskratch
    @unkleskratch7 ай бұрын

    looks like Grigor Mendels genetics experiments with fruit flies.

  • @Pose005
    @Pose0058 ай бұрын

    Tf is that

  • @JavaScripting64
    @JavaScripting647 ай бұрын

    This is so silly

  • @SP-ny1fk
    @SP-ny1fk7 ай бұрын

    In Postmodernism, everyone is an artist.

  • @aallerton

    @aallerton

    6 ай бұрын

    Well, it's not that simple.

  • @vintagepipesnightmares
    @vintagepipesnightmares8 ай бұрын

    You can call anytime art in modern era. Just frame anything and call it …… art

  • @seanwelch71
    @seanwelch718 ай бұрын

    I love comics and story illustrators, and I keep coming back to two that I find myself examining more than others: @alexross @steveepting