Modern Multiples presents a 35-color serigraph by contemporary American artist, Ed Ruscha. Nearly 5 years ago, LA art icon Richard Duardo, whose career was hugely influenced by Ruscha’s since they met at Gemini GEL in 1978, passed away on 11/11/14. Just a couple of months later,  Aardvark Letterpress released an Ed Ruscha edition on die cut handmade paper entitled “Zoot Soot (Dedicated to the Memory of Richard Duardo)”. The edition sold out almost immediately.

Thanks to the excellent relationship between Aardvark and , Ed Ruscha’s studio, and the team at Modern Multiples, this second interpretation of “Zoot Soot” is executed. This fact is instrumental in the narrative of this edition because the 35 color layers printed with hand mixed inks recreate in stunning 3-dimensionality a photograph of one of the “Zoot Soot” impressions from the 2015 edition. Mr. Ruscha then modified the photo with iconic L.A. palm trees and blue sky, and submitted it to Modern Multiples for proofing. A BAT (“Bon á Tirer”, or “good to pull”) was signed upon our very first presentation of proofs!

We are very proud of and humbled by the narrative behind this artwork and hope that you, too, may appreciate its significance in contemporary art.