Ed Ruscha's Chocolate Room installation at MoMA New York
The Museum of Modern Art in New York is hosting 'Ed Ruscha – Now Then', a major retrospective of the American pop artist Ed Ruscha (born 1937 in Omaha). The exhibition features over 200 works spanning painting, drawing, photography, artist books, and installation, covering his six-decade career. A highlight is the iconic 'Chocolate Room', an installation originally created for the US Pavilion at the 35th Venice Biennale in 1970. The room is entirely covered with sheets of paper screen-printed with Nestlé chocolate paste. Curator Christophe Cherix notes the show offers a broader perspective on Ruscha's work, emphasizing its commentary on societal change. Curator Ana Torok explains Ruscha was inspired by small metal tubes of Nestlé chocolate paste that reminded him of oil paint tubes. The installation must be produced on-site; MoMA brought a printer into the gallery, transforming the space into a print shop for two weeks. A video documenting the process is shared on MoMA's Instagram. The exhibition runs until January 13, 2024.
Key facts
- Ed Ruscha was born in 1937 in Omaha.
- The exhibition 'Ed Ruscha – Now Then' is at MoMA New York.
- The show includes over 200 works from Ruscha's six-decade career.
- The Chocolate Room was first created for the 35th Venice Biennale in 1970.
- The installation uses Nestlé chocolate paste screen-printed on paper.
- Curator Christophe Cherix curated the exhibition.
- Curator Ana Torok provided details on the Chocolate Room's inspiration.
- The installation must be produced on-site at the museum.
Entities
Artists
- Ed Ruscha
Institutions
- MoMA
- Nestlé
- Artribune
- Museum of Modern Art
Locations
- New York
- United States
- Omaha
- Venice
- Italy