Crackers
Ed Ruscha
Ruscha's 1969 book Crackers is based on a short story by Mason Williams, How to Derive the Maximum Enjoyment from Crackers, which is printed in tiny text on the back cover of the book.
'Starring' Larry Bell in a series of fim still-like photographs, Crackers instructs the reader to perform a surreal series of preparations in advance of a date, namely to book two hotel rooms and in the shabbier of the two to make giant salad with gallons of dressing at the ready. Upon successful transit of the date, the reader is to persuade his ladyfriend to come to the cheap hotel, for her to undress and lie in the bed of salad, and to have gallons of dressing poured over her naked body. Then, making excuses that he has forgotten the crackers, to return by limousine to the other, upmarket hotel in order to enjoy the crackers alone in bed.
Photographs by Ed Ruscha, Ken Price and Joe Goode.
The first edition is the only edition.
Crackers
Ed Ruscha
- Artist
- Ed Ruscha (b.1937)
- Title
- CRACKERS
- Medium
- Printed artist's book with 115 black and white plates
- Date
- 1969
- Edition
- From the first (only) edition of 5,000 copies
- Publisher
- Heavy Industry Publications, Hollywood, CA
- Size
- Octavo (22.0 x 15.0 cms: 8 5/8 x 5 7/8 ins)
- Notes
- Bound as issued within cardboard wrappers with glassine jacket lettered in red to front panel and spine. In premium condition with only very slight areas of faint darkening to the jacket.
- Reference
- C13-30
- Status
- Sold
Available Artists
- Albers Anni
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- Motherwell Robert
- Nemours Aurélie
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