The Dada drawing that was a “light switch” for Ed Ruscha

“UNTITLED – BEETLES” by artist Johannes Baargeld, c.1920

In art school Ed Ruscha was struck by an unusual drawing by Dada artist Johannes Theodor Baargeld that he developed a “mystical connection” to. He made a cold call to MoMA to see if he could come to see it in person and, surprisingly, got through. Hear how the encounter went on to inspire his own work’s “controlled disorder.”

MoMA is currently exhibiting a blockbuster Ed Ruscha Retrospective. Before the show opened, Ruscha revisited a moment of influence early in his long career. This is a video of that experience.

(Source: Museum of Modern Art, New York City)