THE END 87

Edward Ruscha’s THE END 87: A Meditation on Finality and Repetition

Few artists have explored the interplay between language and visual form as relentlessly as Edward Ruscha. THE END 87, created in 2010, distills his lifelong fascination with typography, cinema, and existential themes into a single, arresting composition. The work belongs to Ruscha’s iconic The End series, which he first initiated in 1991—a body of paintings and prints that repurpose the clichéd closing title card of Hollywood films. By isolating these two words against a stark gradient, Ruscha transforms a banal cinematic trope into a canvas for contemplation. The 2010 iteration, with its smoky violet-to-black ombré, introduces a moodier palette than earlier versions, suggesting not just an ending but a descent into the unknown.

The print’s dimensions—30×40 cm—invite intimate engagement. Unlike the monumental scale of Ruscha’s Large Trademark canvases, this framed lithograph demands close viewing, where the texture of the ink and the subtle banding of the gradient become apparent. As the Museum of Modern Art has noted in its analysis of Ruscha’s text-based works, his art “collapses the distance between the everyday and the monumental,” a tension that THE END 87 embodies through its juxtaposition of mundane phrasing and solemn presentation.

The Cinematic Roots of Ruscha’s The End Series

Ruscha’s fixation on the phrase “THE END” traces back to his youth in Oklahoma, where he absorbed the visual language of 1940s and 50s Hollywood Westerns. The artist has described these films as “primitive storytelling devices” that left an indelible mark on his artistic vocabulary. By appropriating the title card that once signaled the conclusion of a narrative, Ruscha strips it of its original function, leaving viewers to project their own interpretations onto the ambiguous declaration. THE END 87, with its numbered suffix, suggests seriality—a hint that this ending is one of many, or perhaps none at all.

The 2010 version arrives late in Ruscha’s career, following decades of experimentation with text as both subject and medium. Unlike his 1960s works, which often employed bold, flat colors (see: OOF, 1962), THE END 87’s gradient background introduces a sense of depth and temporality. The transition from violet to black evokes twilight or the fading of a projector’s light, reinforcing the theme of closure. As The Art Story observes, Ruscha’s later works “often carry a melancholic undertone,” a quality amplified by the 2010 print’s subdued palette.

THE END 87 doesn’t conclude—it lingers. The gradient isn’t a backdrop but a slow dissolve, mirroring how memory distorts the final scenes we revisit.

The Making of THE END 87: Lithography and Optical Illusion

Gradient as Narrative Device

The print’s gradient isn’t merely decorative; it’s a technical achievement that exploits the limitations of lithography. Ruscha’s team at Gemini G.E.L.—the legendary Los Angeles print workshop—employed multiple stone passes to create the seamless transition from violet to black. Unlike digital gradients, which appear smooth at any scale, the lithographic process leaves faint horizontal bands visible under close inspection. These imperfections become part of the work’s character, a reminder of the human hand behind the mechanical reproduction.

Typography and Spatial Disorientation

The font choice for “THE END” mimics the blocky, sans-serif title cards of mid-century films, but Ruscha subtly distorts the proportions. The letters are slightly condensed, and the spacing between “THE” and “END” is narrower than standard typesetting would allow. This compression creates a visual tension that makes the phrase feel both familiar and alien, as if the words are being viewed through a faulty projector lens. The 87 suffix, rendered in a smaller point size, introduces a secondary rhythm to the composition, breaking the symmetry.

Displaying THE END 87: A Curator’s Guide

The print’s 30×40 cm dimensions make it versatile for both intimate and statement-making displays. In a minimalist interior, the framed lithograph commands attention when hung solo above a console table or floating shelf, where its gradient can interact with directional lighting. For a more immersive effect, consider grouping it with other Ruscha text works—such as Trademark Study 2 or 20TH CENTURY FOX—to create a “word wall” that explores his typographic evolution. The violet-black palette pairs unexpectedly well with warm wood tones or matte black furniture, while the white matte in the framing provides necessary contrast against darker walls. Avoid placing it in direct sunlight; the archival inks will resist fading, but the subtle gradient banding is best preserved under indirect, diffused light.

More Works by Edward Ruscha

Explore Ruscha’s evolution from 1960s Pop provocateur to 21st-century text artist through these framed prints.

Edward Ruscha

Trademark Study 2

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Edward Ruscha

20Th Century Fox

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Edward Ruscha

City

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Edward Ruscha

Daily Planet

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