Los Angeles Lakers Win NBA Title, Kobe Bryant Wins MVP, I Think of Ed Ruscha

Ed Ruscha
The Back of Hollywood
22 x 80 inches oil on canvas 1977
© Ed Ruscha

The Los Angeles Lakers have won their 15th NBA Championship and of course I think of Ed Ruscha who has visualized the city of LA during most of the Lakers championship years.



Fabrik Magazine: The art critic Peter Plagens once said that while other Los Angeles based artists had the LA look, you “look at LA.” What is it about LA that you find so compelling to look at?

Ed Ruscha: I tend to borrow things from LA. Some of these ugly buildings I see in LA are really food for thought. Some of the simplest things in the world help me view and understand LA. When the sun is shining here there is this remote tie in with glamour that other cities don’t have. This place doesn’t seem to have anywhere to look up to. It’s totally open ended… But I think it goes back to simple things like orange trees, the sun shining, freeways, and Chicano car stylings. Chicano car styling is one of the most treasured cultural icons of Los Angeles. You can’t transpose that anywhere else.






Ed Ruscha
Hollywood is a Verb
© Ed Ruscha




by Ruets and Asylm
Go Lakers
graffitti on 110 Freeway