The Final End 1991

Edward Ruscha made this print, "The Final End," using lithography, a printmaking process where the image is drawn on a stone or metal plate with a greasy substance, then printed. Notice how the crisp, gothic letters contrast with the damaged background, creating a tension between permanence and decay. This effect arises from the material qualities of lithography itself. The artist coaxes ink from a flat surface to mimic the look of distressed film, complete with scratches and light leaks. Ruscha exploits the industrial nature of printmaking to evoke a sense of handmade imperfection, which he then repeats. There's something very clever here: a mechanical technique used to represent the ravages of time. In doing so, Ruscha elevates the status of graphic design and commercial art, blurring the lines between fine art and mass production. The piece encourages us to consider the labor involved in creating images, and the ways in which these images shape our understanding of time, history, and narrative.