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Untitled (Ship)

A work made of acrylic on white wove paper.

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  • A work made of acrylic on white wove paper.

Date:

1988

Artist:

Ed Ruscha
American, born 1937

About this artwork

During the 1980s, Ruscha turned away from words and refocused his attention on American iconography, often culled from Hollywood movies, and here exemplified by the silhouette of a ship that perhaps recalls the legend of the Flying Dutchman just as much as it does the image on the label of Cutty Sark Scotch whisky. With allusions to vintage photography, and a play on the word caption (here as blank or censored as the ship is generic), the artist manages to trigger associations, leaving them wide open for viewers to discern and interpret.

Status

Currently Off View

Department

Prints and Drawings

Artist

Ed Ruscha

Title

Untitled (Ship)

Place

United States (Artist's nationality:)

Date  Dates are not always precisely known, but the Art Institute strives to present this information as consistently and legibly as possible. Dates may be represented as a range that spans decades, centuries, dynasties, or periods and may include qualifiers such as c. (circa) or BCE.

1988

Medium

Acrylic on white wove paper

Dimensions

151.2 × 100.4 cm (59 9/16 × 39 9/16 in.)

Credit Line

Purchased with funds provided by Mr. and Mrs. Alan Press

Reference Number

1989.24

Extended information about this artwork

Object information is a work in progress and may be updated as new research findings emerge. To help improve this record, please email . Information about image downloads and licensing is available here.

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