Ed Ruscha's 1968 exhibition catalogue 'Billy', designed for a show of works by his friend Billy Al Bengston, is being offered for sale. The catalogue features a flocked sandpaper cover, satin ribbon bookmark, and machine screw and hex nut binding, and was published by the Los Angeles County Museum of Art for an exhibition that traveled to the Corcoran Gallery of Art and the Vancouver Art Gallery. The work is listed on an art marketplace platform with a price of €62,600, and the listing includes details about its condition, provenance, and the artist's broader career.
This listing matters because it highlights the ongoing market for artist-designed ephemera and exhibition catalogues, which can carry significant value as collectible art objects. Ruscha's 'Billy' catalogue is not only a functional document but also a work of art in its own right, reflecting his conceptual approach to bookmaking and his ties to the Los Angeles art scene of the 1960s. The sale also underscores the secondary market for limited-edition publications by blue-chip artists, which can command prices comparable to traditional artworks.