Al Ruppersberg

We managed to get to Al Ruppersberg’s exhibition “You and Me or the Art of Give and Take” at the Santa Monica Museum on its last day. My favorite work was a wonderful two-part book drawing Twins, which is in Mike Kelley’s collection. There was another stunning piece in which viewers were invited to rearrange laminated panels on a giant pegboard to “tell the story they wanted.” There were images and texts relating to punk rock and old Americana. On the other side of the pegboard wall was a “Never Ending Book,” featuring images collaged on the wall and, in boxes resting on colorful sculptures, color-print-out of some of the images that you could take home. (We loved the idea of The Never Ending Book, Part 2…ha!) The entire installation was gorgeous and everything was embued with Ruppersberg’s generous humor.

There is a wonderful article on the exhibition here, with great installation shots.