Executed in 2007.

Ed Ruscha has continuously explored the nuances of American life and culture and his characteristic use of text mines the perpetual interplay between meaning and context. The present work is a small-scale drawing that belongs to a series titled Busted Glass and depicts panes of glass that appear cracked, broken and in shards. Ruscha’s subtle modulations of light and shadow accentuate the contours of the transparent glass, providing a sense of depth and spatial presence, while the illuminated cracked edges and dark central void add a further element of theatricality. This otherwise ordinary subject is transformed into a surreal composition with an atmosphere of mystery. The drawing showcases Ruscha’s precise draftsmanship and keen attention to detail, elevating a quotidian subject that has come to define his immediately recognizable style.