The Los Angeles County Museum of Art on Fire

painting by Ruscha

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July 20, 2026

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The Los Angeles County Museum of Art on Fire is a painting by American artist Ed Ruscha, created between 1965 and 1968. It is a notable work within the Pop art movement, known for its dark humor and unique approach to visual representation. The painting depicts the Los Angeles County Museum of Art engulfed in flames, a striking and somewhat unsettling image that reflects Ruscha's interest in vernacular culture and the juxtaposition of words and visuals. Ruscha, who was associated with the West Coast Pop art scene, often incorporated found words and images from everyday American life into his art, applying commercial techniques to his paintings. This particular piece exemplifies his style of rendering familiar subjects with a deadpan viewpoint, exploring themes of consumerism and the American scene.1

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Ed Ruscha
…works of dark humour included The Los Angeles County Museum of Art on Fire (1965–68), a painting depicting the institution in flames; Actual Size (1962), an image of a flying can of Spam (a precooked luncheon meat) beneath the Spam logo; Large Trademark with Eight Spotlights (1962), a dramatic representation…
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…works of dark humour included The Los Angeles County Museum of Art on Fire (1965–68), a painting depicting the institution in flames; Actual Size (1962), an image of a flying can of Spam (a precooked luncheon meat) beneath the Spam logo; Large Trademark with Eight Spotlights (1962), a dramatic representation…
Read More