Edward Ruscha

Pool #7

1968, printed 1997

In Tate Modern

Level 4: ARTISTS ROOMS: Ed Ruscha: Room 1

Artist: Edward Ruscha born 1937
Medium: Photograph, colour on paper
Dimensions: Unconfirmed, image: 394 × 394 mm
unconfirmed, support: 610 × 610 mm
frame: 580 × 580 × 45mm
Collection: ARTIST ROOMS
Tate and National Galleries of Scotland. Lent by Artist Rooms Foundation 2011
On long term loan
Reference: AL00280

Display caption

This image was included in Ruscha’s artist’s book Nine Swimming Pools and a Broken Glass 1968. This was Ruscha’s first colour photographic series. As the title indicates, the book includes nine photographs of pools and one of a broken glass tumbler, placed at the end almost like the punchline of an absurd visual joke. This series continues Ruscha’s project of documenting the Los Angeles landscape. All the pools are located at low-budget motels. These highly artificial leisure spaces can be seen as symbolic of Southern California’s ‘easy living’ culture.

Gallery label, July 2019

Does this text contain inaccurate information or language that you feel we should improve or change? We would like to hear from you.